:   THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  A 
GENIUS 


'  Do  you  ever  think,  my  dears,  of  what  would  happen  if  your 
scheme  were  to  fail?' 


The  Daughters 

of  a  Genius 

A  STORY  OF   BRAVE   ENDEAVOUR 


By 
MRS  G.  DE  HORNE  VAIZEY 

(JESSIE  MANSERGH) 

AUTHOR  OF  'ABOUT  PEGGY  SAVILLE,'  'RHODA,'  'SISTERS  THREE,"  'TOM 
AND  SOME  OTHER  GIRLS,'  '  PIXIE  o'SHAUGHNESSY,"  ETC. 


WITH    SIX    ILLUSTRATIONS   BY 
JOHN   MENZIES 


EDINBURGH   AND   LONDON 

W.   &  K.  CHAMBERS,  LIMITED 

PHILADELPHIA:  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

1903 


• 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.   UNKNOWN  COUSINS 1 

ii.  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION 10 

III.  A  FAMILY  CONCLAVE 21 

IV.  THE  REMOVAL 36 

V.    FIRST  IMPRESSIONS 52 

VI.   HOPE'S  FIRST  VENTURE 61 

VII.    A  PRIVATE  READING 70 

VIII.    VISITORS  ARRIVE 90 

IX.   AN  ANONYMOUS  LETTER 104 

X.    THE  SHANTY 116 

XI.    NEW  FRIENDSHIPS 129 

XII.    A  SHOOTING   LUNCHEON 137 

XIII.  PRICKINGS  OF  CONSCIENCE 150 

XIV.  HOME  AGAIN 158 

XV.    ENTER  THE  HERMIT 163 

XVI.   THE  CULPRIT  DISCOVERED 173 

XVII.    REHEARSALS 179 

XVIII.   MEETING  AND  PARTING 196 

XIX.   SHADOWS  AHEAD 205 

XX.    THE  DISCOVERY 220 

XXI.   DARK  DAYS 229 

XXII.   AN  UNEXPECTED  CLUE 244 

XXIII.   REJOICINGS 259 

xxiv.  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL...                             ....273 


20415G4 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAOK 

1  Do  you  ever  think,  my  dears,  of  what  would  happen  if  your 
scheme  were  to  fail?' Frontispiece 

Well,  it  was  a  wonderful  drive  ! 57 

It  was  greeted  with  applause,  so  spontaneous  and  genuine  that 
it  could  not  fail  to  be  inspiriting 125 

The  two  stared  at  one  another  in  silence,  like  combatants 
measuring  strength  for  a  fight 169 

'  Jolly  bad  tips ! '  cried  another  voice,  at  the  sound  of  which 
Madge's  pencil  slipped  from  her  hand  and  rolled  across  the 
table 223 

A  big,  bronzed  fellow  threw  open  the  door,  and  seizing  each 
sister  in  turn,  swung  her  oft'  her  feet  in  the  ardour  of  his 
greeting 283 


THE  DAUGHTERS  OF  A 
GENIUS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

UNKNOWN     COUSINS. 

[AT  is  your  letter,  my  dear?  You  seem 
annoyed.  No  bad  news,  I  hope,'  said  the 
master  of  Chedworth  Manor,  looking  across 
the  table  to  where  his  wife  sat  behind  the 
urn,  frowning  over  the  sheet  which  she  held  in  her  hand. 
She  was  a  handsome,  well-preserved  woman,  with  aquiline 
features,  thin  lips,  and  eyes  of  a  pale,  indefinite  blue. 
She  looked  up  as  he  spoke,  then  threw  down  the  letter 
with  a  sigh  of  impatience. 

'  Oh,  bad  news,  of  course !  When  did  we  ever  return 
from  a  holiday  without  finding  something  of  the  sort 
awaiting  us  1  It 's  from  Stephen  Charrington.  He  says  he 
would  have  written  before,  but  heard  that  we  were  abroad, 
and  did  not  know  where  to  direct.  Edgar  is  dead.  He 
died  a  fortnight  ago,  and  the  funeral  was  on  Friday  week. 

Genius.  A 


a  UNKNOWN   COUSINS. 

I  never  knew  a  man  who  married  improvidently  and  had 
a  huge  family  who  did  not  die  before  he  reached  middle 
age.  It  seems  a  judgment  on  them ;  and  here  is  another 
instance.  Forty-nine  his  last  birthday !  He  ought  to  have 
lived  for  another  twenty  years  at  least.' 

Mrs  Loftus  spoke  with  an  air  of  injury  which  seemed 
to  .imply  that  the  deceased  gentleman  had  died  out  of 
pure  perversity,  and  her  husband  knitted  his  brows  in 
disapproving  fashion.  Even  after  twenty-five  years  of 
married  life  his  wife's  heartless  selfishness  could  give 
him  a  twinge  of  shocked  surprise  when,  as  now,  it  was 
obtrusively  displayed.  He  himself  made  no  claims  to 
philanthropy,  but  one  expected  some  natural  feeling  from 
a  woman;  and  with  all  his  faults,  Edgar  Charrington  had 
had  close  claim  on  her  sympathy. 

'He  was  your  brother,  my  dear,'  he  said  dryly.  'I 
suppose  the  poor  fellow  would  not  have  died  if  he  could 
have  helped  it.  We  have  not  seen  anything  of  him  for 
a  long  time,  but  he  used  to  be  a  most  attractive  fellow. 
I  thought  he  would  have  made  his  mark.  Never  met 
a  man  with  so  many  gifts — painting,  music,  writing;  he 
used  to  take  them  up  in  turn,  and  do  equally  well  in 
each.' 

'  But  excel  in  nothing  1  That  was  the  undoing  of 
Edgar;  he  had  not  the  application  to  keep  to  one  thing 
at  a  time,  but  must  always  be  flying  off  to  something 
new.  That  disastrous  marriage  was  like  a  millstone  round 
his  neck,  and  practically  doomed  him  to  failure.  Oh,  I 
know  what  you  are  going  to  say.  There  was  nothing 


UNKNOWN   COUSINS.  3 

against  Elma;  and  you  admired  her,  of  course,  because 
she  was  pretty  and  helpless;  but  I  shall  always  maintain 
that  it  was  practically  suicide  for  Edgar,  with  his  Bohe- 
mian nature,  to  marry  a  penniless  girl,  with  no  influence 
to  help  him  on  in  the  world.  How  they  have  managed 
to  live  at  all  I  can't  imagine.  He  never  confided  in 
me,  and  I  made  a  point  of  not  inquiring.  To  tell 
the  truth,  I  lived  in  dread  of  his  wanting  to  borrow 
money,  and  one  has  enough  to  do  with  one's  own  claims. 
I  think  he  was  offended  because  we  never  invited  the 
children,  for  I  have  scarcely  heard  from  him  for  the  last 
five  years.  Really,  it  was  too  great  an  experiment.  I 
can't  imagine  what  they  must  be  like,  brought  up  in 
that  little  village,  with  next  to  no  education.  Social 
savages,  I  should  say.' 

'How  many  children  were  there?  I've  forgotten  how 
they  come  after  the  first  two.  Stephen  and  Philippa 
visited  us  once  long  ago,  and  I  remember  thinking  her 
an  uncommonly  handsome  child,  with  a  spirit  of  her 
own,  which  will  probably  stand  her  in  good  stead  now. 
The  boy  was  not  so  interesting.  How  many  are  there 
besides  these  two  ? ' 

'  Oh,  I  don't  know.  Dozens !  There  was  always  a 
baby,  I  remember,'  returned  Mrs  Loftus  impatiently. 
'Goodness  knows  what  is  to  become  of  them  now  that 
they  are  left  orphans,  with  practically  no  means  of 
support.  Stephen  seems  quite  bewildered  with  the  re- 
sponsibility. He  says  he  is  anxious  to  see  us,  as  his 
father's  nearest  relations,  and  to  consult  with  us  as  to 


4  UNKNOWN    COUSINS. 

the  future.  I  think  we  had  better  decline  all  responsi- 
bility. It  is  a  thankless  task  to  interfere  with  other 
people's  business,  and  young  folks  are  so  opinionated.  I 
shall  write  a  letter  of  sympathy,  and  say  that,  as  I  know 
so  little  of  their  circumstances  and  surroundings,  I  do  not 
feel  myself  competent  to  advise.' 

'Just  as  you  please,  my  dear;  but  you  must  speak  for 
yourself  alone.  I  shall  certainly  have  a  chat  with  the 
poor  young  fellow.  It  is  the  least  we  can  do,  and  I 
am  only  sorry  I  was  not  back  in  time  to  attend  the 
funeral.  I  am  afraid  we  behaved  shabbily  to  poor  Edgar 
while  he  was  alive,  and  I  should  have  liked  to  pay 
him  some  respect  in  death.  This  is  Monday.  I  must 
attend  to  one  or  two  affairs  here,  but  I'll  run  down 
to  Leabourne  towards  the  end  of  the  week,  and  put 
up  at  the  inn.  Tell  Stephen  I'll  write  later  on  and 
say  when  he  may  expect  me.' 

Mr  Loftus  pushed  his  chair  back  from  the  table,  and 
tossed  his  serviette  on  a  chair.  He  looked  decidedly 
ruffled  in  temper,  and  injured  and  sorry  for  himself  into 
the  bargain.  If  there  was  one  thing  he  disliked  more 
than  another,  it  was  to  have  anything  approaching  a 
dissension  with  the  members  of  his  household.  '  Peace 
at  all  price'  had  been  the  motto  of  a  character  kindly 
enough,  yet  lacking  the  necessary  strength  to  make  a 
stand  for  the  right,  and  already  he  was  beginning  to 
doubt  his  own  wisdom,  and  to  reflect  sorrowfully  how 
much  less  trouble  it  would  have  involved  to  have  taken 
Gertrude's  advice.  Half-way  down  the  table  he  stopped 


UNKNOWN    COUSINS.  0 

short,  with  a  sudden  softening  of  the  face,  and  laid  his 
hands  caressingly  on  the  shoulders  of  a  pale,  languid- 
looking  girl  who  had  been  a  passive  listener  to  the  late 
conversation. 

'You  had  better  write  too,  and  sympathise  with  your 
poor  cousins,  Avice.  You  wouldn't  like  it,  would  you, 
if  you  were  to  lose  your  poor  old  father?' 

The  girl  smiled  at  him  affectionately  enough,  but  made 
no  response  until  the  door  had  closed,  when  she  turned 
to  her  mother  with  an  expression  of  real  anxiety  upon 
her  face. 

'Shall  I  have  to  wear  mourning,  mother?  Will  it  be 
necessary  ? ' 

'  Cer — tairily  not !  I  should  not  dream  of  such  a 
thing.  It  is  quite  out  of  fashion  nowadays  for  any  but 
the  nearest  relations,  and  it  would  be  a  sin  to  put  aside 
all  those  lovely  French  frocks  until  they  were  out-of-date. 
It  would  be  different  if  we  lived  in  the  same  place ; 
but  you  are  not  in  the  least  likely  to  come  in  contact 
with  your  cousins.  I  can't  think  what  has  made  your 
father  take  up  this  attitude  all  of  a  sudden;  but  if  he 
insists  upon  going  to  Leabourne  I  shall  certainly  go  too. 
He  is  so  carried  away  by  the  impulse  of  the  moment 
that  there  is  no  knowing  to  what  mad  plan  he  might 
commit  himself.  The  best  thing  your  cousins  can  do 
will  be  to  stay  quietly  where  they  are  and  take  in 
paying  guests  to  make  ends  meet.  Quite  good  people  do 
that  nowadays;  and  with  so  many  girls  they  would  not 
need  much  extra  service  in  the  house.  From  what 


6  UNKNOWN   COUSINS. 

Stephen  says,  I  fear  they  have  some  notion  of  coming 
up  to  town,  but  that  I  shall  strongly  denounce.  Most 
rash  and  improvident  for  them,  and  uncomfortable  for 
us.  They  would,  no  doubt,  expect  us  to  take  them  up 
and  introduce  them  to  our  friends,  and  would  be  offended 
when  they  discovered  that  we  had  no  intention  of  doing 
anything  of  the  kind.  Much  better  stay  where  they  are 
and  work  among  their  old  friends.' 

'I  should  like  to  see  Philippa  again.  It's  an  age  since 
she  was  here,  but  I  remember  her  quite  well.  She  was 
so  lively  and  amusing !  And  there  is  another  girl  just 
my  age,  with  a  pretty,  uncommon  name.  Faith,  is  it? 
No;  Hope.  Uncle  Edgar  sent  me  a  little  sketch  of  her 
on  my  birthday  years  ago,  and  it  was  so  pretty !  I  'd 
rather  like  to  know  my  cousins,  mother,  if  they  were 
presentable.  It's  so  lonely  being  an  only  child.' 

Mrs  Loftus  looked  at  her  daughter,  and  something  like 
a  quiver  passed  across  the  hardness  of  her  face.  Avice 
was  her  darling,  her  idol,  the  only  creature  on  earth 
whom  she  really  loved;  and  every  now  and  again  a  spasm 
of  alarm  gripped  her  heart  as  she  noted  the  languid 
speech  and  movement,  the  fragile  form,  and  pallid  com- 
plexion which  distinguished  the  girl  from  her  companions. 
Everything  within  the  power  of  love  and  money  had  been 
done  to  make  her  strong  and  happy,  yet  she  continued 
listless  and  ailing,  seeming  to  regard  the  very  amusements 
provided  for  her  as  so  many  penalties  to  be  endured  with 
resignation.  Something  must  be  wrong — and  very  wrong 
— to  make  a  girl  of  twenty-one  assume  so  unnatural  an 


UNKNOWN    COUSINS.  7 

attitude.  The  mother  checked  a  sigh  half-way,  and  said 
caressingly : 

*  There  is  no  reason  for  you  to  be  dull,  dearest.  I  am 
always  ready  to  invite  any  one  you  may  fancy.  Surely, 
with  all  your  friends,  you  need  not  be  alone.  What 
about  Truda  Bennett?  If  you  like  liveliness  you  could 
hardly  improve  upon  her;  and  The  Knoll  is  a  nice  house 
for  you  to  visit  in  return.  Shall  I  write  and  ask  her  to 
come  next  week?' 

'No,  thank  you,  dear,  I'd  rather  not.  Truda  is  very 
nice,  but  she  tires  me  out.  She  dislikes  being  quiet,  and 
cares  only  for  rushing  about  all  day  long.  She  doesn't 
amuse  me;  I  have  to  amuse  her.  The  nice  thing 
about  relations  would  be  that  one  would  not  have  to 
be  on  ceremony  with,  them  all  the  time.  Couldn't  I  go 
down  with  you  to  Leabourne  next  week,  mother,  and  see 
what  the  girls  were  like,  and  if  I  should  care  to  invite 
one  of  them  here?' 

'  You  could,  of  course ;  but  I  strongly  advise  you  to  do 
nothing  of  the  sort.  Your  uncle  Edgar  has  been  dead 
only  a  fortnight,  remember,  and  though  I  don't  think  he 
was  an  especially  devoted  father,  the  children  will  natu- 
rally be  upset  and  distressed.  It  would  be  very  dull  for 
you  with  the  girls  weeping,  and  your  father  and  Stephen 
discussing  money  matters,  and  ten  to  one  a  dreary,  un- 
comfortable inn.  Better  stay  at  home,  and  let  me  bring 
back  a  report.  In  any  case  you  won't  care  to  invite  one 
of  them  here  until  the  first  few  months  are  over  and 
she  is  able  to  go  about  and  make  herself  agreeable. 


8  UNKNOWN    COUSINS. 

It  would  be  depressing  to  have  her  about  in  her  first 
deep  black.' 

'  Oh  dear,  yes !  I  couldn't  stand  that.  I  'd  rather  be 
alone  than  have  any  one  in  low  spirits,'  agreed  Avice 
fervently,  the  idea  that  she  herself  might  possibly  help  to 
cheer  and  console  never  dawning  on  her  self-engrossed 
brain.  'You  say  that  the  girls  must  be  savages,  mother, 
but  I  should  think  they  can  hardly  help  being  interesting. 
Aunt  Elma  was  a  beauty,  and  Uncle  Edgar  was  a  genius 
— and  some  of  them,  at  least,  miast  have  inherited  his 
gifts.  Why  do  you  say  he  was  not  a  devoted  father! 
From  my  vague  recollection  he  seemed  very  proud  of  the 
children.' 

'  Oh  yes,  he  was  proud  enough ;  but  they  worried  him 
when  they  were  young,  and  as  they  grew  older  I  think 
he  felt  that  they  criticised  him  and  realised  how  he 
had  wasted  his  opportunities.  He  was  devoted  to  Elma, 
for  she  worshipped  him  meekly  all  her  life,  and  was  con- 
vinced that  no  such  genius  had  ever  existed.  Your  father 
is  right.  I  never  knew  a  more  brilliant  young  man  than 
Edgar  was  at  twenty-one;  but  what  is  there  to  show  for 
it  now?  A  few  songs,  two  or  three  novels  and  volumes 
of  poetry,  and  a  number  of  pictures  and  sketches  which 
he  was  ashamed  even  to  sign !  He  was  always  growing 
discouraged,  turning  from  one  thing  to  another,  and  lower- 
ing his  standard  to  meet  the  taste  of  the  market.  His 
songs  became  more  and  more  clap-trap  and  commonplace, 
his  stories  more  sensational,  his  pictures  of  the  cheaply- 
pretty  order  which  sell  at  provincial  exhibitions.  I  believe 


UNKNOWN    COUSINS.  9 

at  the  bottom  of  his  heart  he  realised  his  downfall,  and 
when  Elma  died,  and  he  had  not  her  adoring  admiration 
to  keep  up  his  faith  in  himself,  he  fretted  himself  ill. 
The  last  time  I  saw  him  he  was  a  wreck — mentally 
and  physically — and  I  fancy  those  girls  must  have  had 
a  trying  time  of  it  before  the  end.' 


10 


CHAPTER    IL 

STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

EPHEN  CHAERINGTON  had  expressed  a 
wish  to  consult  with  his  aunt  and  uncle 
less  from  any  preconceived  intention  than 
from  a  feeling  of  helplessness  which  took 
possession  of  him  as  he  penned  the  news  of  his 
father's  death.  It  had  seemed  to  him  at  the  moment 
that  the  advice  of  any  one  older  and  wiser  than 
himself  would  be  of  value  in  deciding  plans  for  the 
future,  but  no  sooner  was  the  letter  irretrievably  on  its 
way  than  he  began  to  tremble  at  the  prospect  of  telling 
Philippa  of  what  he  had  done.  Philippa  had  been  left 
co-trustee  with  himself,  and  she  was  not  a  young  woman 
who  would  meekly  be  put  on  one  side.  What  she 
thought,  she  said;  what  she  willed,  she  accomplished; 
and  anything  like  interference  was  to  her  as  the  brandish- 
ing of  a  red  rag  in  the  face  of  a  bull.  Stephen  resolved 
to  wait  for  a  favourable  opportunity  before  breaking  the 
news  of  the  intended  visit,  and  to  introduce  it  casually 
in  the  midst  of  a  general  conversation,  when  there  would 
be  less  chance  of  a  '  scene.'  On  Tuesday  he  decided  to 
speak  on  Wednesday ;  on  Wednesday  there  seemed  abun- 
dant reason  why  he  should  postpone  the  disclosure  until 


STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION.  11 

Thursday ;  on  Thursday  his  uncle's  note  arrived  announc- 
ing his  arrival  on  the  following  day,  and  there  could  be 
no  longer  delay.  Stephen  betook  himself  to  the  morning- 
room,  where  his  sisters  sat  in  conclave,  and  hid  himself 
behind  a  newspaper,  awaiting  his  opportunity. 

Despite  the  gloominess  of  the  autumn  day  and  the 
mournful  nature  of  the-  work  on  hand,  the  scene  was  far 
from  being  doleful.  To  begin  with,  the  background  was 
pretty — a  long,  low  apartment,  half  studio,  half  workroom, 
its  walls  washed  a  rich  crimson  hue,  and  covered  with 
unmounted  sketches,  plaster  casts  on  brackets,  and  a 
hundred  quaint,  artistic  odds  and  ends.  Against  this 
background  the  four  sisters  made  an  interesting  group  as 
they  busied  themselves  with  the  sewing  on  hand.  There 
was  no  money  forthcoming  to  pay  dressmaking  bills,  and 
little  enough  to  buy  material,  so  it  was  necessary  to  use 
up  what  was  in  the  house — to  turn  and  twist  and  remake, 
and  cover  over,  and  patch  together— an  occupation  which 
involved  no  little  ingenuity  in  addition  to  the  mere 
manual  labour. 

Philippa  stood  by  the  table,  the  big  cutting-out  scissors 
in  her  hands ;  a  handsome  girl  with  clearly  cut  aquiline 
features,  and  dark  hair  which  rippled  back  in  a  soft, 
smoke-like  mass,  and  was  coiled  gracefully  together  on  the 
nape  of  her  neck.  Her  shoulders  were  broad  and  square, 
and  had  a  trick  of  broadening  still  further  in  dignified, 
self-assertive  fashion  when  their  owner  was  annoyed  or 
wished  to  exercise  her  authority.  Madge  always  declared 
that  she  looked  at  Philippa's  shoulders  when  she  wished 


12  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

to  see  how  the  wind  blew;  but  then  Madge  was  so 
daring  and  inconsequent  in  her  remarks  that  no  one  paid 
much  attention  to  what  she  said !  Behold  her  now,  run- 
ning seams  on  the  old-fashioned  treadle  machine,  with 
bent  back  and  long,  pointed  chin  poked  forward  over  the 
needle.  As  often  as  not  a  jerk  of  the  hands  or  an 
erratic  movement  of  the  feet  would  be  followed  by  a  jar, 
a  knot,  a  breaking  of  the  thread ;  and  when  this  occurred 
Madge  would  clench  both  fists  together  and  mouth  dumb 
anathemas,  the  while  she  rolled  tragic  eyes  to  the  ceiling. 
If  there  was  one  thing  on  earth  which  she  detested  more 
than  another,  it  was  plain  sewing ;  but  this  morning  she 
had  gallantly  volunteered  to  do  the  machining,  and  machine 
she  would,  no  matter  what  tortures  it  might  cost  her ! 
She  was  a  little  scrap  of  a  thin,  starved-looking  creature, 
with  a  long,  narrow  face,  plain  features,  and  just  the 
prettiest,  happiest,  most  lovable  pair  of  hazel  eyes  you 
can  possibly  imagine.  Even  to-day  they  looked  happy, 
for  there  was  a  certain  transparency  and  twinkling  light 
in  the  iris  which  seemed  independent  of  varying  moods. 
Madge  was  eighteen,  and  was  going  to  be  an  artist  and 
have  pictures  hung  on  the  line  in  the  Academy  or  know 
the  reason  why,  and  in  her  opinion  her  time  would  have 
been  much  more  profitably  employed  daubing  in  the  attic 
than  doing  dull,  useful  work  downstairs ;  but,  as  has  been 
said,  there  are  occasions  when  personal  inclinations  have 
to  be  laid  in  the  dust. 

Theo  sat  by  herself,  unpicking  a  coloured  lining  from  a 
black  grenadine  dress,  with  an  expression  of  tragic  despair. 


STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION.  13 

It  was  not  that  she  sorrowed  for  her  father  more  deeply 
than  her  sisters,  but  it  was  Theo's  nature  to  revel  in 
emotion  and  deliberately  to  work  herself  up  to  the  height 
of  rejoicing  or  down  to  the  depths  of  despair.  She  was 
a  tall,  graceful  girl,  with  a  face  which  was  decidedly 
interesting  if  not  regularly  pretty,  and  her  broad  forehead 
and  deep-set  eyes  seemed  to  portray  a  greater  brain-power 
than  that  possessed  by  the  rest  of  the  family.  Theo  had 
written  stories  for  her  own  amusement  since  the  age  of 
ten,  and  was  even  now  engaged  upon  a  full-fledged  novel 
with  which  she  hoped  to  burst  upon  an  astonished  world. 
It  seemed  a  horrible,  ghoul-like  proceeding  to  examine  her 
own  feelings  in  order  to  be  able  to  depict  what  Veronica, 
her  heroine,  should  feel  in  the  hour  of  her  desolation ; 
and  she  was  disgusted  with  herself  because,  despite  all 
resolutions,  she  had  been  mentally  taking  notes  during 
the  whole  of  the  past  week.  Now,  as  she  sat  unpicking 
the  pretty  pink  lining  and  casting  it  ruthlessly  on  one 
side,  her  busy  brain  was  weaving  a  simile  by  which  it 
appeared  that  all  the  brightness  of  life  was  left  behind 
and  nothing  remained  but  blackness  and  desolation. 

By  Philippa's  side — adviser,  assistant,  and  architect-in- 
chief — stood  golden-haired  Hope,  sweet  as  her  name,  and 
all  unselfish  anxiety  for  the  good  of  others.  Her  white 
forehead  was  wrinkled  with  the  strain  of  trying  to  induce 
two  yards  of  silk  to  do  duty  for  three,  and  she  stood  at 
attention,  staring  down  at  the  pattern  spread  over  the 
black  folds,  and  rubbing  her  chin  in  solemn  calculation  as 
she  discussed  the  knotty  point. 


14  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

'If  I  were  to  make  the  yoke  of  something  else,  and  let 
the  silk  come  from  the  arm-holes  only,  do  you  think  we 
could  manage  it  then?  There  is  some  of  that  old  black 
velvet  that  could  be  used  for  the  yoke,  and  it  could  be 
made  to  look  very  nice.  I  am  afraid  we  couldn't  match 
this  silk  even  if  we  tried.' 

'Don't  want  to  try,'  said  Philippa  shortly.  'Spent 
quite  enough  as  it  is.  "Well,  we  shall  either  have  to  do 
it  that  way  or  make  the  sleeves  of  another  material  to 
match  the  skirt. — Theo,  it's  for  you.  Which  would  you 
rather  have?' 

'  Don't  care  at  all.  Make  it  as  you  please ;  I  take  no 
interest  in  the  matter,'  replied  Theo,  turning  her  head 
elaborately  in  an  opposite  direction  and  speaking  in  a 
tone  of  implied  rebuke,  which  brought  a  flash  into 
Philippa's  eyes. 

'  Then  you  ought  to  take  an  interest !  How  are  we  to 
get  on  if  no  one  will  say  what  she  wants?  We  want 
to  do  our  best  for  you,  and  it 's  not  much  trouble 
just  to  say  what  you  like,  and  help  us  to  decide.' 

Theo  looked  round  at  that,  and  lo !  her  eyes  were 
full  of  tears. 

'I  think  it's  hateful  to  think  of  clothes  at  all,'  she 
cried  passionately.  'What  does  it  matter  how  they  are 
made  ?  Make  me  a  sack  if  you  like ;  it  will  make  no 
difference  to  me.' 

'Yes,  dear,  it  will;  you  are  mistaken  there.  We  shall 
have  to  wear  these  things  for  a  long  time,  and  the  day 
will  come  when  it  would  worry  you  very  much  to  wear 


STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION.  15 

what  you  did  not  like.  I  know  you  feel  no  interest  just 
now,  but  it  would  be  really  unselfish  to  rouse  yourself 
enough  to  consider  the  question  and  help  us  with  our 
work,'  said  Hope,  the  peacemaker,  speaking  just  in  time 
to  stop  Philippa's  sharp  retort  and  so  avert  the  threatened 
storm.  Theo,  the  emotional,  was  always  ready  to  be 
swayed  by  a  soft  word;  besides,  she  adored  Hope,  and 
was  especially  sensitive  to  her  wishes.  So  the  black  skirt 
was  dropped  to  the  floor,  and  she  came  forward  obedi- 
ently to  discuss  the  important  question  of  sleeves  versus 
yokes.  It  was  wonderful  how  particular  she  became  when 
once  her  attention  was  aroused,  and  what  precise  instruc- 
tions she  had  to  give  concerning  shape  and  size.  Madge 
dropped  her  chin  until  it  looked  longer  than  ever,  and 
exchanged  a  sly  glance  with  Philippa ;  for  if  the  two 
middle  girls  paired  together,  the  eldest  and  youngest  had 
a  wonderful  sympathy  of  feeling,  and  rarely  failed  to 
understand  an  unspoken  message. 

'Very  well,  then;  that's  settled,'  said  Theo,  in  conclu- 
sion. 'And  when  it  is  done  you  needn't  trouble  to  make 
anything  more  for  me,  for  if  there  is  any  chance  of  going 
to  London  before  winter  I  would  rather  wait  and  get 
what  I  want  when  we  can  shop  in  comfort.  Did  you 
see  Mr  Matthews  to-day,  Stephen,  and  tell  him  that  this 
house  might  be  to  let  at  Michaelmas?' 

Poor  Stephen !  He  quaked  behind  his  newspaper, 
knowing  that  his  hour  had  come.  'No — o,  not  to-day/ 
he  said  feebly ;  and  then  Madge  must  needs  fall  upon 
him  in  her  turn,  and  cry : 


16  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

'  Oh.  Steve,  how  foolish !  We  told  you  he  was  looking 
at  the  Masons'  house  last  week,  and  if  you  put  off  seeing 
him  he  may  take  it  before  he  knows  there  is  a  chance  of 
getting  this  one.  You  really  must  go  to-morrow.  If  we  let 
him  slip,  goodness  knows  when  we  may  find  another  tenant.' 

Stephen  put  down  the  newspaper  and  braced  himself 
for  the  fray.  After  all,  he  was  the  eldest  of  the  family, 
the  man  and  master,  and  it  was  cowardice  to  shrink  from 
what  a  girl  might  say ! 

'I  can't  see  him  to-morrow,  for  I  shall  be  otherwise 
engaged.  I  have  had  a  letter  from  Uncle  Loftus  to  say 
that  he  and  Aunt  Gertrude  are  coming  down  to-morrow 
to  talk  over  arrangements  with  us  and  give  us  their 
advice  as  to  the  future.  When  I  wrote  to  them  last 
week  I  said  I  should  be  grateful  if  they  would  help  us 
in  this  way,  and  it  is  good  of  them  to  come  so  far  on 
our  account.  Uncle  writes  most  kindly.  He  seems  really 
interested.  I  think  we  have  misjudged  him  in  the  past. 
At  any  rate,  his  wife  was  father's  nearest  relative,  and 
it  seemed  right  that  they  should  be  consulted.' 

Silence.  The  three  girls  looked  fearfully  at  Philippa, 
and  Philippa  studied  her  pattern  with  an  air  of  elaborate 
carelessness,  making  dainty  snicks  at  the  silk  with  the 
cutting-out  scissors. 

'And  for  how  long,  may  I  ask,  have  you  invited  them 
to  stay  ?  It  may  be  necessary  to  make  a  few  preparations, 
and  as  the  house  is  hardly  in  a  state  to  receive  visitors, 
we  had  better  begin  at  once.' 

'They  are  not  coming  here;   they  are  to  put  up  at  the 


STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION.  17 

inn.  Now,  Phil,  come !  don't  take  it  like  that.  Honestly, 
I  never  intended  to  do  anything  behind  your  back.  I 
was  so  worried  and  puzzled  when  I  wrote  that  I  said  on 
the  impulse  of  the  moment  that  I  wished  they  would 
give  us  their  help.  I  did  not  tell  you  about  it,  for,  to 
tell  the  truth,  I  never  expected  that  they  would  come. 
Surely  you  feel,  as  I  do,  that  we  are  ignorant  and  in- 
experienced, and  would  be  the  better  for  advice  from 
people  who  know  the  world.  You  are  a  sensible  girl;  I 
am  sure  you  agree.' 

'I  don't  think  it  is  a  question  of  understanding  the 
world  so  much  as  understanding  us  and  our  circumstances,' 
said  Philippa,  standing  up  suddenly  and  facing  him  with 
kindling  eyes.  She  seemed  about  to  add  something  sharp 
and  stinging,  but  controlled  herself  with  a  visible  effort, 
and  said  quietly,  'You  should  not  have  done  this  with- 
out consulting  me,  Steve.  If  we  have  to  work  together 
there  must  be  confidence  between  us.  But  let  that  pass. 
I  don't  want  to  make  unnecessary  difficulties.  "We  have 
enough  as  it  is,  goodness  knows !  I  should  welcome  any 
advice  that  came  from  a  reliable  source,  but  the  Loftus 
connection  have  shown  so  plainly  of  late  years  that  they 
wished  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  us,  that  I  can't  say 
their  opinion  will  have  any  weight  with  me.  They  are 
selfish,  worldly  creatures,  who  only  think  of  their  own 
convenience.' 

'Even  so,  my  dear,  they  may  be  useful  to  us.  Worldly 
wisdom  is  an  ingredient  which  has  been  conspicuous  by 
its  absence  in  our  family  up  till  now.  It  is  time  we 

Genius.  B 


18  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

made  a  reform,'  said  Steve,  with  a  tinge  of  bitterness  in 
his  voice;  for  it  is  a  heavy  burden  for  a  young  fellow 
of  twenty-five  to  find  himself  saddled  with  the  responsi- 
bility of  an  impecunious  young  family,  and  it  was  difficult 
to  subdue  a  feeling  of  resentment  as  he  remembered  the 
careless  regime  of  the  past.  'When  it  comes  to  the  final 
decision  you  and  I  must  give  the  casting  votes,  but  it 
would  be  an  ease  to  my  mind,  at  least,  if  a  man  of  the 
world  like  Uncle  Loftus  approved  of  what  we  were  going 
to  do.  Come  now,  Phil !  it  would  to  you  too.  If  the 
worst  came  to  the  worst,  and  our  venture  proved  a 
failure,  it  would  be  a  comfort  to  you  to  feel  that  you 
had  not  acted  alone.' 

'I  don't  think  anything  could  comfort  me  then,'  said 
Philippa  sadly.  She  leant  against  the  table  and  snapped 
unconsciously  at  the  air  with  the  scissors.  'If  it  will  be 
any  satisfaction  to  you,  Steve,  I  am  glad  that  they  are 
coming;  but,  honestly,  they  won't  alter  my  decision.  I 
have  thought  and  thought  until  my  brain  feels  like  a 
jelly,  but  there  seems  no  way  out  of  the  tangle  but  the 
one  we  propose.  If  Uncle  Loftus  tries  to  dissuade  me, 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  tell  him  that  in  this  matter  I 
consider  my  own  judgment  better  than  his.  How  can 
he  decide  what  is  best  for  us  ?  What  does  he  know  of 
our  characters  and  possibilities?  We  are  not  like  other 
families.  We  may  be  less  amiable  and  worthy  in  many 
respects,  but  we  are  cleverer.  It  isn't  conceited  to  say 
so,  for  it's  true.  We  have  inherited  father's  gifts,  and 
ought  to  be  able  to  do  something  with  our  lives.  Other 


STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION.  19 

girls  might  be  content  to  stodge  along  and  never  see 
anything  of  the  world,  and  teach  the  doctor's  children, 
and  marry  the  curates,  and  be  as  poor  as  Job  all  their 
lives,  but' 

' "  But  that 's  not  me  nor  you ! " '  quoted  Madge 
vigorously,  stopping  the  machine  with  the  usual  jar 
and  snap,  and  tossing  her  determined  chin  with  an  air 
of  defiance.  'I  won't  stodge  for  any  one.  If  fifty  aunts 
and  a  hundred  uncles  came  and  sat  in  rows  round  the 
room,  and  besought  me  to  be  a  good  little  girl  and  stay 
where  I  was,  I'd  snap  my  fingers  in  their  faces  and 
tell  them  that  I  had  to  live  my  own  life,  and  I'd  take 
jolly  good  care  that  I  lived  it  in  my  own  way.' 

'Madge!' 

'  Sorry  !  Didn't  mean  to  interfere.  Thought  you  might 
like  to  know  my  sentiments — that's  all.  Keep  me  out 
of  the  room  when  the  Loftuses  are  here  if  you  don't 
wish  them  to  hear  home-truths.  I  don't  mince  my  words 
when  I'm  roused,  as  some  of  you  know  to  your  cost. 
I  '11  shake  hands  with  them  when  they  come,  and  say 
good-bye  when  they  go,  and  they  will  say  to  each  other 
as  they  drive  away,  "Plain,  heavy-looking  girl  that 
youngest !  They  will  never  be  able  to  do  anything  with 
her."  Ha,  ha ! '  and  Madge  laughed  in  a  mocking, 
derisive  fashion,  which  brought  an  answering  flicker  of 
amusement  to  the  anxious  faces  of  her  companions.  It 
was  evident  that  she  fully  expected  an  hour  to  come 
when  her  relatives  would  be  stupefied  to  discover  the 
genius  of  the  age  in  the  '  plain,  heavy-looking  girl ' 


20  STEPHEN'S  CONFESSION. 

whom  they  had  despised,  and  it  said  volumes  for  her 
attainments  that  the  prospect  seemed  within  range  of 
possibility  to  more  than  one  of  her  audience. 

Theo,  however,  had  an  objection  to  make.  'I  think 
you  are  very  foolish  if  you  do  anything  of  the  kind,'  she 
said  severely.  '"We  ought  to  make  the  best  of  ourselves, 
not  the  worst,  if  we  want  them  to  agree  to  our  plan. 
They  know  that  we  are  poor  and  have  lived  in  the 
country  all  our  lives,  and  I  suppose  they  imagine  that 
we  are  great,  awkward,  clownish  creatures  who  know 
nothing  about  society  or  how  things  should  be  done.  I 
vote  we  surprise  them.  Let's  all  put  on  our  nicest 
things,  and  make  the  house  look  its  very,  very  best,  and 
prepare  a  chic  little  luncheon,  and  give  them  coffee  after- 
wards; and  let  them  see  that  we  don't  require  any 
patronage,  and  are  quite  able  to  take  care  of  ourselves. 
I  'm  sure  that 's  the  best  plan ;  isn't  it,  Phil  ? ' 

{I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Go  your  own  ways.  You 
want  to  appear  better  than  you  are;  Madge  wants 
to  appear  worse.  I'm  going  to  be  myself — horribly 
myself!  I  don't  feel  that  I  can  pretend  one  bit.  It's 
all  very  well  for  you;  you  are  only  standing  on  the 
ramparts.  I  have  to  go  down  and  fight  the  battle,'  cried 
poor  Philippa  dismally,  and  Hope's  arm  stole  round  her 
waist  with  a  close,  encouraging  pressure. 

Hope  was  so  sorry  for  every  one  in  turn  that  she 
had  no  time  to  be  sorry  for  herself.  'It  will  soon  be 
over,'  she  whispered  fondly.  '  Cheer  up,  Phil !  By  this 
time  to-morrow  they  will  have  come  and  gone.' 


21 


CHAPTER    III. 

A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

OR  and  Mrs  Loftus  arrived  by  the  morning 
train,  and  drove  up  to  The  Cottage  in  the 
ancient  village  fly.  Uncle  Edward  wore  a 
black  band  round  his  hat;  Aunt  Gertrude 
an  elaborately  trimmed  black  gown,  which  had  obviously 
not  been  bought  for  mourning.  They  stared  curiously  at 
the  house  as  they  approached,  and  from  behind  the  blind 
in  the  front  bedroom  four  pairs  of  eyes  stared  even  more 
curiously  at  them. 

'  Thin  lips  and  a  sharp  nose !  Face  like  a  hatchet.  No 
love  lost  between  us,  my  dear ! '  cried  Madge  shrewdly. 
'  Nice  old  fellow,  Uncle  Edward !  Looks  as  if  he  would 
be  kind  if  he  had  the  chance.' 

'Isn't  she  smart?  She  has  taken  the  flowers  out  of 
an  ordinary  bonnet  to  make  us  think  she  is  in  mourning. 
I  could  swear  there  were  once  pink  roses  where  that  jet  is 
now,'  said  Theo  of  the  sharp  eyes,  the  while  she  glanced 
complacently  at  her  own  careful  toilet.  'I  am  glad  I 
dressed  up  the  drawing-room.  Don't  hurry  down,  Phil. 
Let  them  have  time  to  look  round  and  realise  that  we 
don't  live  in  a  hovel' 

'I   suppose   I   ought  to  fly  to   meet   them  at  the  door, 


22  A   FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

but  I  don't  feel  in  the  least  inclined.  Now  Steve  is 
going  out.  He  looks  so  nervous  !  I  'm  sure  he  wishes  that 
he  had  not  written.  Do  you  think  Aunt  Gertrude  looks 
more  determined  than  I  do?  I  expect  we  shall  have  an 
awful  battle.  You  must  come  down  with  me,  girls,  and 
be  introduced  before  we  begin.  I  wish  my  heart  wouldn't 
thud;  I  don't  want  to  give  myself  away  by  looking 
nervous.1 

Then  came  a  quick  review  before  the  glass,  a  creeping 
downstairs,  and  the  entrance  of  four  girls,  one  after  the 
other,  to  greet  the  unknown  relatives  as  they  stood  in 
the  middle  of  the  low,  sunny-windowed  drawing-room.  Mrs 
Loftus  put  up  her  pince-nez  and  stared  at  each  in  turn — 
Philippa,  stately  and  dignified;  pretty,  soft-eyed  Hope; 
Theo,  with  her  air  of  distinction  and  clever,  interesting 
face ;  Madge  of  the  long,  sagacious  chin  and  quick,  light 
movements — and  even  as  she  looked  she  realised  that 
these  were  no  nonentities,  but  young  women  who  would 
insist  upon  having  a  definite  vote  in  the  matter  of  their 
own  destiny.  They  sat  down  and  talked  company  talk, 
the  little  handmaid  appeared  and  offered  light  refreshments 
to  the  travellers,  Uncle  Loftus  made  complimentary  remarks, 
and  everything  was  quite  proper  and  orthodox,  just  like 
a  scene  in  a  book,  until  presently  Stephen  began  to  fidget 
and  glance  at  the  clock,  and  Philippa  looked  at  her  uncle 
and  said,  'Shall  we  have  our  talk  now?  The  girls  will 
leave  us  alone  for  an  hour,  and  Stephen  will  tell  you 
exactly  what  our  position  is,  and  what  we  are  thinking 
of  doing.' 


A   FAMILY   CONCLAVE.  23 

'Perhaps  it  would  be  as  well.  I  am  feeling  so  tired 
after  the  journey  that  I  should  like  to  go  to  bed  early  this 
evening,  and  have  ordered  dinner  at  the  inn  at  seven 
o'clock.  I  hope  that  is  convenient  to  you.  I  didn't  know 
what  your  arrangements  might  be,  or  whether  it  would  be 
convenient  to  have  us  here.' 

'Whichever  you  prefer.  We  hoped  you  would  spend 
the  evening  with  us,  but  I  can  quite  understand  that  you 
must  be  tired,'  said  Philippa,  resolutely  avoiding  meeting 
Theo's  eye  lest  she  should  be  obliged  to  smile  at  the 
thought  of  the  wasted  culinary  efforts  over  which  that 
poor  victim  had  been  groaning  the  whole  of  the  morning. 
Then  the  door  closed,  the  two  men  automatically  moved 
their  chairs  nearer  the  table,  and  Stephen  nervously  began 
his  story : 

'You  know,  of  course,  that  my  father  was  in  bad 
health  for  some  years  before  he  died.  His  work  was  of 
the  kind  which  was  peculiarly  dependent  on  health,  for 
he  had  the  artistic  temperament  and  could  do  nothing  to 
order.  He  was  in  chronic  low  spirits,  and  had  not  the 
energy  to  compose.  In  former  years  he  made  a  very  fair 
income;  though,  of  course,  it  was  always  uncertain,  and 
he  could  never  tell  from  month  to  month  what  would 
come  in.  Sometimes  he  made  a  hit,  and  one  or  two  of 
his  songs  bring  in  a  fair  royalty  still.  He  was  able  to 
save  a  little .  now  and  again,  but  the  last  two  years  he 
was  constantly  having  to  draw  on  his  capital,  until  we  find 
that  there  is  practically  none  left.  There  is,  however,  an 
insurance  which  is  intact.  It  seems  that  on  his  marriage 


24  A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

my  mother's  people  insisted  on  this  as  a  provision  for  her 
in  the  event  of  his  death ;  and  as  the  premiums  were 
paid  up  some  years  ago,  it  has  not  lapsed.  It  amounts 
to  two  thousand  pounds,  and  is  left  to  Philippa  and 
myself  in  trust  for  the  family,  with  full  discretion  to  use 
it  as  seems  best  to  us  for  our  mutual  benefit  and  advance- 
ment in  life.  There  are  six  of  us  altogether.  My  brother 
Barnard  is  still  at  school,  but  we  have  given  notice  for 
him  to  leave  at  the  end  of  the  term,  as  he  is  sixteen, 
and  must  begin  to  work  for  himself.  Two  thousand 
pounds  is  not  a  large  provision  for  six  people.' 

Mrs  Loftus  drew  in  her  lips  and  stared  fixedly  at  a 
corner  of  the  ceiling;  her  husband  drummed  upon  the 
table  and  looked  unaffectedly  distressed. 

'  So  bad  as  that !  Tut,  tut !  Sorry  to  hear  it — sorry 
indeed.  And  this  house?  You  have  made  it  very  pretty 
— charming  little  bijou  residence.  Is  the  house  your 
own?' 

'No.  We  have  it  at  a  very  low  rental  in  consideration 
of  the  improvements  which  father  made  from,  time  to  time, 
but  it  is  not  our  own.  We  think  we  should  have  no 
difficulty  in  letting  it;  for,  as  you  say,  it  is  pretty  in  its 
way.  In  fact,  we  know  of  a  possible  tenant  already, 
and  I  think  it  quite  likely  that  he  may  take  the  lease 
from  us  at  Michaelmas  if  we  decide  to  move.' 

There  was  a  rustle  of  silken  skirts  as  Mrs  Loftus  sat 
upright  in  her  chair  and  gave  a  short  preliminary  cough 
before  entering  into  the  conversation. 

'But  if  you  get   it   cheaply,   why   should   you   move   at 


A   FAMILY    CONCLAVE.  25 

all?  I  think  it  would  be  a  fatal  mistake.  Living  must 
be  very  cheap  in  this  out-of-the-world  place;  and  you 
have  a  garden,  I  see,  which  must  keep  you  supplied  with 
vegetables.  If  you  kept  fowls  you  might  sell  the  eggs, 
and  make  a  little  extra  money  in  that  way.  Quite  a 
number  of  people  go  in  for  poultry-farming  in  these  days. 
There  is  nothing  infra  dig.  about  it.  I  was  saying  to 
your  uncle  as  we  came  down  that  it  was  quite  likely 
that  you  could  get  paying  guests  if  you  went  to  work  in 
the  right  way.  Many  people  prefer  living  in  the  country 
in  summer-time,  and  you  could  quote  reasonable  terms. 
Then  there  must  surely  be  some  teaching  to  be  found  in 
the  neighbourhood,  which  would  employ  the  girls  who  were 
not  needed  at  home.  Keally  I  think,  with  a  hundred  a 
year  assured,  besides  what  you  earn — you  are  in  a  solici- 
tor's office,  I  believe,  Stephen — you  might  get  along  very 
comfortably.' 

Philippa's  eyes  flashed,  but  her  lips  twitched  at  the 
same  time,  for  it  was  too  absurd  to  hear  a  stranger  settling 
the  destinies  of  a  family  in  this  swift,  casual  fashion.  She 
dared  not  meet  Stephen's  eye ;  and  even  Mr  Loftus  seemed 
conscious  of  something  wrong,  for  he  said  testily : 

'  Not  so  quick,  my  dear ;  not  so  quick,  if  you  please  I 
We  have  not  heard  what  plans  Stephen  and  Philippa 
have  made  for  themselves. — I  should  like  to  hear  your 
own  ideas;  for,  of  course,  you  have  thought  over  the 
matter  from  all  points  of  view.  Let  us  hear  what  are 
your  plans.' 

The    brother    and    sister    looked    at    one    another,    and 


26  A    FAMILY   CONCLAVE. 

there  was  a  dead  silence.  Stephen  was  afraid  to  speak. 
Philippa  was  anxious  not  to  monopolise  the  role  of 
leader.  She  waited  a  full  moment,  but  when  she 
began  there  was  no  hesitation  in  her  voice. 

'We  intend  to  go  up  to  London  to  seek  our  fortunes. 
I  agree  with  Aunt  Gertrude  that  if  we  stayed  here  we 
should  be  able  to  earn  enough  money  to  provide  bread- 
and-butter,  and  for  the  time  being  it  would  be  the 
easier  course.  But  we  don't  want  to  think  of  the 
present  only;  we  want  to  provide  for  the  future.  I 
believe — and  Stephen  agrees  with  me — that  if  we  settle 
here  now  it  will  practically  mean  vegetating  for  the 
rest  of  our  lives.  He  will  remain  in  the  same  sleepy 
office,  where  if  he  worked  for  twenty  years  he  could 
never  gain  more  than  a  few  hundreds  a  year.  Barney 
would  come  home  and  go  into  the  bank.  There  is  no 
other  place  to  put  him,  and  he  is  too  lively  and  high- 
spirited  a  boy  to  trust  by  himself  in  a  big  town. 
Then  there  are  the  girls.  They  are  all  clever,  and 
father  was  very  particular  about  their  training.  He 
realised  that  he  himself  had  made  a  mistake  in  trying 
too  many  things  at  once,  so  he  made  them  each  choose 
one  hobby  and  stick  to  that  alone.  Hope  is  musical. 
She  plays  charmingly,  can  read  music  as  easily  as  a 
book,  and  has  already  had  one  song  published.  She 
ought  to  study  harmony  under  a  clever  master,  and 
hear  plenty  of  really  good  music.  Father  said  that  that 
was  what  she  wanted  most  of  all — to  hear  good  music. 
She  has  gone  through  the  drudgery ;  what  she  needs 


A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE.  27 

now  is  confidence  and  style ;  but  it  is  impossible  to  give 
it  to  her  here.  Theo  wishes  to  write.  She  is  always 
scribbling,  and  father  thought  she  would  do  well  some 
day.  There  are  one  or  two  editors  in  London  who 
knew  him,  and  who  would  take  an  interest  in  her  for 
his  sake.  She  has  a  narrow  life  here,  with  very  few 
friends.  It  would  be  the  best  training  for  her  to  have 
more  varied  experience.  Madge  is  an  artist.  It  is  her 
ambition  in  life  to  go  to  a  studio  and  work  hard. 
She  is  very  original,  and  has  already  quite  a  distinctive 
style  of  her  own.  Father  was  very  proud  of  her,  and 
used  to  say  she  was  the  cleverest  of  the  family.  Now 
that  he  is  gone  there  is  no  one  within  miles  who  can 
help  her  with  her  work.  It  seems  to  me  a  very  sad 
thing  to  turn  these  girls  into  governesses  and  household 
drudges  when  they  have  real  gifts  to  cultivate.' 

'Quite  so — quite  so.  I  can  understand  your  feelings; 
but  you  mustn't  be  angry  with  me,  my  dear,  if  I  say 
that  you  must  allow  some  discount  for  sisterly  partiality. 
You  think  your  sisters  geniuses,  but  whether  the  public 
will  agree  with  you  is  a  very  different  question.'  Uncle 
Loftus  was  beginning  to  feel  vaguely  uncomfortable,  and 
to  scent  a  coming  request  for  a  loan  of  money,  to  be 
repaid  at  that  indefinite  period  when  the  aforesaid  geniuses 
should  be  recognised  by  the  world.  He  was  a  good- 
natured  man,  and  was  quite  ready  to  help  these  pretty, 
attractive  nieces  by  an  occasional  present  of  a  dress  or 
a  five-pound  note;  but  his  recollection  of  school  bills 
paid  for  his  own  daughter  made  him  shrink  from  the 


28  A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

prospect  of  finishing  the  education  of  three  ambitious 
and  aspiring  young  women.  'Music  and  pictures  are 
at  a  discount  in  these  hard  times,  and  half  the  artists, 
by  their  own  account,  are  starving.  A  poor  fellow  brought 
me  a  couple  of  water-colours  only  last  month.  Wanted 
fifteen  pounds  for  them,  but  was  thankful  to  take  five. 
Very  good  pictures,  too !  I  don't  pretend  to  understand 
these  things,  but  they  look  very  well  in  my  smoke-room. 
As  for  story-writing,  there  are  half-a-dozen  stars  who  make 
a  fortune  in  literature,  but  the  vast  majority  of  authors 
have  a  hard  fight  to  earn  a  living.  Many  of  them  fail 
altogether  and  throw  it  up  in  despair,  like  that  poor  poet 
fellow — Chatterton,  wasn't  it?  I  never  can  remember 
names.  Women  aren't  made  to  fight  their  way,  especially 
country  girls,  as  you  are,  who  have  no  idea  of  life  in 
a  great  world  like  London.  Depend  upon  it,  my  dear, 
you  would  be  far  happier  and  safer  where  you  are.' 

'  For  the  present — yes.  I  said  so  myself.  If  we  go 
to  town  we  shall  have  a  hard  fight  for  the  first  few 
years;  but  we  have  faith  to  believe  that  we  should 
succeed  in  the  end,  and  we  would  rather  fight  our 
battles  while  we  are  young.  If  you  were  beginning  life, 
Uncle  Loftus,  would  you  be  content  to  settle  down  to 
lifelong  obscurity  and  poverty,  or  would  you  feel  that, 
come  what  might,  you  must  go  down  into  the  arena 
and  win  a  crown  for  yourself1?' 

Philippa  threw  back  her  head  and  looked  at  him 
with  challenging  eyes.  So  young,  so  brave,  so  ignorant, 
poor  child,  of  the  real  meaning  of  the  fight  which  lay 


A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE.  29 

before  her,  what  wonder  that  the  man's  heart  softened, 
and  that  he  laid  his  hand  on  hers  with  a  quick  move- 
ment of  sympathy?  Mrs  Loftus  spied  the  movement  with 
her  cold  blue  eyes^  and  hastened  to  turn  on  the  tap  of 
cold  common-sense. 

'Perhaps  you  will  kindly  tell  us  in  plain  words  exactly 
what  it  is  that  you  intend  to  do.  Your  ideas  sound  very 
charming  and  romantic,  but  I  do  not  understand  how 
they  are  to  be  carried  out.  Education  is  a  costly  business, 
and  it  is  your  duty  to  save  rather  than  to  spend.  How 
can  you  reconcile  the  need  of  earning  money  with  the 
programme  which  you  have  drawn  out  ? ' 

'I  don't  try,'  said  Philippa  boldly.  'I  know  it  is 
impossible.  You  will  think  our  scheme  very  daring,  Aunt 
Gertrude,  but  in  plain  words  it  is  this:  to  take  a  flat 
in  town  in  as  central  a  position  as  we  can  afford,  and 
to  invest  our  capital  in  apprenticing  Barney  to  a  firm 
where  he  would  have  a  chance  of  getting  on,  and  in 
giving  the  girls  the  lessons  and  opportunities  which  they 
require.  We  know  quite  well  that  we  could  not  possibly 
do  this  on  our  tiny  income,  but  we  believe  that  it  is 
the  wisest  way  of  using  our  capital,  and  that  the  time 
will  come  when  we  shall  be  thankful  that  we  had  the 
courage  to  do  it.  Th — that's  all;  that's  our  scheme,' 
faltered  Philippa,  feeling  that  she  had  launched  a  bomb- 
shell, indeed,  as  her  uncle  fell  back  in  his  chair  overcome 
with  amazement,  and  her  aunt  raised  protesting  eyes  to 
the  ceiling  as  though  calling  Heaven  to  witness  that 
she  was  no  party  to  this  mad  folly. 


30  A   FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

'And — er — Stephen  would,  of  course,  give  up  his  situa- 
tion? He  would — er — hope  to  find  more  lucrative  employ- 
ment in  London?'  she  inquired,  with  a  thinly  veiled  satire 
which  roused  the  head  of  the  family  to  dignified  response. 
'I  have  every  reason  to  do  so.  In  that  respect  at 
least  we  should  not  be  reckoning  in  the  dark,  Aunt 
Gertrude.  The  solicitor's  office  here  is  but  a  small  branch 
of  an  important  one  in  the  City,  and  my  chief  has  been 
anxious  for  some  time  that  I  should  remove  to  the  head- 
office.  He  realised  that  there  could  be  no  promotion  for 
me  here,  and  has  been  a  most  kind  friend — anxious  to 
help  us  in  every  way.  So  far  I  have  refused  to  move, 

for  I  like  a  country  life,  and ' 

'He  doesn't  like  it  a  bit.  He  longs  to  go  to  town, 
but  he  stayed  with  us  because  he  knew  we  couldn't  do 
without  him,'  cried  Philippa,  with  a  loving  glance,  at 
which  Stephen  flushed  and  darkly  scowled  an  order  to  be 
silent.  Mr  Loftus  thought  the  byplay  very  pretty  and 
creditable  to  both  the  actors,  but  his  business  instinct 
had  been  shocked,  and  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  protest. 

'  Spend  your  capital !  Break  into  your  capital !  My 
dear  girl,  that  is  against  all  laws  of  prudence  and 
business.  I  really — as  you  have  asked  my  advice — I 
really  could  not  sanction  such  a  step  as  that.  Your 
income,  taking  everything  together,  will  not  amount  to 
over  three  hundred  a  year,  I  suppose?  No!  I  thought 
not.  Well  then,  remember  that  you  would  have  to  pay 
a  high  London  rent,  to  feed  and  clothe  six  people,  ex- 
clusive of  a  servant,  to  pay  coals  and  gas,  and  constant 


A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE.  31 

travelling  to  and  fro,  and  a  hundred  extra  expenses,  before 
you  begin  to  think  of  lessons  and  concert-going  and 
payment  of  premiums.  It  would  cost  you  at  least  twice 
as  much,  and  I  doubt  if  you  could  do  it  on  that. 
Consider  what  you  are  doing.  It  is  a  risk  which  I  could 
never  sanction — a  big  risk,  a  serious  risk.' 

'  I  believe  in  risks,'  cried  Philippa  gallantly.  '  "  There 

is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men" Risk — deliberate, 

thoughtful  risk — is  only  another  name  for  courage  and 
enterprise  and  faith.  What  would  become  of  the  world 
if  no  one  was  willing  to  take  a  risk  ?  What  battle  would 
be  won  if  soldiers  did  not  risk  everything — health,  limbs, 
life  itself — to  overcome  the  enemy  ?  We  know  it  is  a 
risk ;  we  have  faced  it  with  our  eyes  open  ;  but  we  feel 
it  is  the  right  thing  to  do.  It  is  our  chance ;  we 
ought  to  take  it.  We  are  not  acting  thoughtlessly  or 
lightly;  we  mean  to  work  hard,  and  to  ask  God  to  help 
us  and  give  us  strength  not  to  be  discouraged' 

'We  are  not  going  to  squander  our  capital,  uncle,'  said 
Stephen;  'we  are  going  to  invest  it.  Surely  if  you  can 
equip  six  people  with  the  means  of  getting  on  in  the 
world,  it  is  a  better  return  for  money  than  a  wretched 
three  and  a  half  per  cent.  We  mean  to  practise  every 
possible  economy  in  food  and  dress  and  amusements,  and 
to  be  extravagant  in  one  way  only :  the  girls  shall  have 
no  second-rate  masters ;  Barney  shall  have  a  good  start. 
They  realise  the  responsibility  which  we  are  taking  upon 
ourselves,  and  are  prepared  to  work  hard  and  shorten  the 
period  of  probation  as  much  as  possible.' 


32  A    FAMILY   CONCLAVE. 

'  Yes,  yes — of  course !  Young  things  are  always  eager 
for  change,  and  are  ready  to  promise  anything  in  advance. 
But  suppose  they  don't  make  their  way?  Suppose  your 
scheme  is  a  failure  ?  The  money  is  left  to  you  and  to 
Philippa  to  spend  as  you  think  wise  for  the  good  of 
the  family,  so  that  legally  there  would  be  no  claim 
upon  you  for  what  was  gone.  But  you  might  find 
yourself  in  a  most  unpleasant  position,  all  the  same. 
If  you  spend  it  all  within  the  next  few  years,  Barnard 
may  think  himself  ill-used  when  he  grows  up  and  feels 
the  need  of  a  few  hundred  pounds.  The  girls  may  want 
a  trifle  to  buy  a  trousseau,  or  help  in  other  ways,  and 
may  blame  you  for  influencing  them  when  they  were 
too  young  to  know  their  own  minds.  Do  you  ever  think, 
my  dears,  of  what  would  happen  if  your  scheme  were  to 
fail?' 

Did  she  ever  think  !  Poor  Philippa !  How  many  scores 
— nay,  hundreds — of  times  had  the  nightmare  seized  her 
in  its  grip  !  How  often  had  she  lain  awake  shuddering 
with  dread,  seeing  the  workhouse  loom  large  in  the  fore- 
ground, and  the  reproachful  faces  of  brothers  and  sisters 
turned  mutely  upon  her!  She  shivered  even  now,  and 
clasped  her  hands  beneath  the  tablecloth ;  but  she  showed 
a  brave  face  to  the  enemy,  and  refused  to  be  cast  down 
in  his  presence. 

'It  is  no  use  beginning  a  fight  with  the  expectation 
of  being  beaten,  uncle.  I  should  have  no  courage  left 
if  I  did  that.  I  have  enough  faith  in  my  brothers  and 
sisters  to  believe  that  they  will  not  reproach  us,  whatever 


A   FAMILY   CONCLAVE.  33 

happens;  and  at  the  worst  we  could  come  back  and 
try  your  plan  in  the  country.  "We  are  strong  and 
capable,  and  could  always  earn  enough  to  live  on,  even 

• 

if  we  had  to  separate  and  go  out  as  cooks  and  house- 
maids. I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid  of  starving.  We 
shall  manage  to  keep  ourselves  without  either  asking  or 
expecting  help  from  outsiders.' 

'Come,  come,  my  dear!  there  is  such  a  thing  as  being 
too  independent.  What  is  the  use  of  relations  if  they 
can't  help  each  other  at  a  pinch?  If  you  are  really 
determined  to  try  this  scheme  we  must  help  you  all  we 
can.  You  must  come  to  see  us  when  we  are  in  town, 
and  we  may  be  able  to  give  you  useful  introductions. 
A  vice  will  be  pleased  to  make  your  acquaintance,  and 
so  shall  we  all. — We  must  do  what  we  can  for  Edgar's 
children,  mustn't  we,  mamma?' 

'I  cannot  promise  anything  which  would  be  an  en- 
couragement to  what  appears  to  me  a  piece  of  preposterous 
folly,'  said  Mrs  Loftus  coldly.  'It  is  flying  in  the  face  of 
Providence  to  leave  a  comfortable  home  and  deliberately 
court  danger  in  this  fashion.  With  your  inexperience  you 
will  be  ruined  before  a  year  is  over,  and  who  is  to  pay 
your  debts  I  don't  know.  You  can't  expect  any  help  from 
us  if  you  act  in  defiance  of  our  wishes.  If  you  had 
already  made  up  your  minds,  as  appears  to  be  the  case, 
I  must  say  it  was  very  inconsiderate  to  inflict  this  long 
journey  upon  your  uncle  and  myself  for  the  mere  farce  of 
asking  our  opinion. — We  had  better  get  back  to  the  hotel 
now,  Edward.  I  am  tired,  and  shall  be  glad  of  a  rest.' 

Genius.  C 


34  A    FAMILY    CONCLAVE. 

Mr  Loftus  rose  obediently  and  followed  his  wife's  lead 
to  the  door,  but  on  his  way  he  managed  to  whisper  a 
few  conciliatory  words  into  Philippa's  burning  ear. 

'  Take  no  notice,  my  dear — no  notice !  Your  aunt  is 
hasty,  but  she  will  come  round.  I  will  see  you  again 
this  evening  when  she  has  gone  to  bed,  and  to-morrow 
we  will  both  come  up  again  before  we  leave.  Can't 
approve,  you  know — can't  approve;  but  you  are  a  brave 
girl.  You  mean  well.  Wish  you  good  luck  ! ' 

Philippa's  eyes  swept  over  him  with  an  expression  of 
magnanimous  superiority. 

'  Poor  little  down-trodden,  trembling  worm ! '  she  was 
saying  to  herself.  'Afraid  to  assert  yourself  and  be  your 
natural  self  for  fear  of  what  a  woman  might  say !  Oh, 
if  I  were  a  man !  Oh,  if  I  were  your  husband,  my 
dear!  I'd  keep  you  in  order;  I'd  tell  you  straight  out 
what  I  thought  of  you.'  Then  aloud :  '  (roo^-afternoon, 
Aunt  Gertrude !  Mind  the  door -step.  So  awkward ! 
Hope  you  will  not  be  too  tired.  CrOocZ-bye  ! ' 

The  door  closed,  and  brother  and  sister  drew  back  and 
gazed  at  one  another  with  bright,  excited  eyes.  '  Well  ? ' 
queried  one.  'Well!'  answered  the  other.  Then  came 
the  rush  of  feet  on  the  floor,  and  down  hurried  the 
girls,  one  after  the  other,  questioning,  staring,  agape 
with  curiosity. 

'Well — well — well — what  did  they  say?.  Were  they 
furious  ?  Were  they  amiable  ?  Did  you  stick  to  your 
point?  Are  they  coming  again?  What  is  decided?  Tell 
us  quickly  1  Tell  us  at  once  1 ' 


A   FAMILY    CONCLAVE.  35 

'It  is  quite  decided,'  said  Stephen  gravely.  'We  are 
going  to  London.'  He  put  his  arm  round  his  sister's 
waist,  and  looked  down  at  her  with  admiration.  'Phil, 
you  were  glorious !  You  convinced  me,  at  least,  if  you 
failed  with  the  others.  My  last  lingering  doubt  has 
disappeared.  1 11  begin  preparations  this  very  day.' 

'  Here  endeth  the  first  volume ! '  chanted  Madge  shrilly. 
'  Now  for  excitement ;  now  for  romance ;  now  for  the 
third  volume,  with  its  honour  and  glory ! ' 

But  Philippa  shivered  and  was  silent.  The  moment  of 
reaction  had  come,  and  in  her  heart  she  said :  '  But  the 
second  volume  lies  between,  and  in  the  second  volume 
are  all  the  trials  and  difficulties.  Oh,  it  may  be  a  long, 
long  fight  before  we  get  to  the  happy  ending ! ' 


36 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE    REMOVAL. 

|  WO  months  later  the  plunge  was  taken. 
The  Charrington  family  said  good-bye  to 
their  picturesque  country  home,  and  estab- 
lished themselves  in  the  top  flat  of  a 
massive  red  building  in  the  picturesque  district  of 
the  Tottenham  Court  Road.  With  one  exception 
the  rooms  were  small;  there  was  no  passage  to  speak 
of;  the  coal-cellar  was  in  pleasing  proximity  to  the 
drawing-room  door;  the  view  consisted  of  a  forest  of 
chimney-stacks,  and  the  air  was  thick  with  smuts.  When 
Philippa  made  her  first  survey  of  the  premises  she  felt 
that  she  was  indeed  coming  down  in  the  world ;  but 
when  she  heard  the  rent  demanded  she  changed  her 
mind  with  a  shock  of  surprise.  It  was  preposterous — 
incredible !  The  price  of  a  palace  rather  than  of  a 
sooty  tenement  midway  between  earth  and  sky  !  For  that 
price  in  the  country  one  could  have  a  tennis-lawn,  and 
a  stable,  and  a  pretty  flower  and  vegetable  garden,  to  say 
nothing  of  a  roomy  and  comfortable  house.  Off  went 
Miss  Charrington  with  her  head  in  the  air,  but  two  long 
days  of  search  brought  her  to  the  sad  conviction  that 
she  would  have  to  change  her  attitude  with  regard  to 


THE   REMOVAL.  37 

London  prices,  and  that  the  agent  had  been  right  in 
speaking  of  the  flat  as  unusually  cheap.  She  did  not 
dare  to  take  it,  however,  without  a  family  consultation ; 
so  she  secured  the  option  for  a  couple  of  days,  and  went 
home  with  the  story  of  her  wanderings.  The  girls  howled 
in  unison  at  the  mention  of  the  rent,  but,  like  their 
sister,  were  obliged  to  come  round  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  money  must  be  paid. 

'It  is  really  and  truly  the  best  thing  I  could  find 
in  a  central  position,'  said  Philippa  sadly.  'The  question 
is — ought  we  to  give  up  the  idea  of  living  in  town, 
and  take  a  little  house  in  the  suburbs?  If  we  went 
out  in  an  unfashionable  direction  we  could  get  one 
for  half  the  cost.  I  asked  the  agent,  and  he  said 
there  were  any  number  to  be  had.  They  run  them  up 
in  a  few  months — rows  and  rows  of  them — quite  nice, 
compact  little  houses,  with  all  modern  conveniences' 

1 1  know !  Thank  you,'  interrupted  Theo  haughtily. 
'I've  seen  them  from  the  train — hundreds  of  them — 
exactly  alike,  with  sunflowers  in  the  front  garden,  and 
the  washing  in  the  back,  and  such  nice,  sociable  neigh- 
bours over  the  palings  ! ' 

'It's  all  very  well,  Theo,  but  can  we  afford  to  be 
snobbish  1  We  shall  have  to  pocket  our  pride,  and 
save  every  penny-piece  that  is  possible.  If  the  house 
would  be  cheaper' 

'I'm  not  so  sure  that  it  would.  It  is  different  for 
a  man  and  his  wife.  But  you  must  remember  that 
we  should  have  four,  perhaps  five  railway  contracts  to 


38  THE   REMOVAL. 

add  to  the  rent.  Our  great  object  is  to  be  near  our 
work,  and  we  might  almost  as  well  stay  where  we 
are  as  bury  ourselves  in  an  out-of-the-way  suburb.  If 
we  go  to  the  flat,  Madge  will  be  almost  next  door 
to  the  Slade  School,  the  boys  can  come  home  for 
lunch,  and  Hope  and  I  will  be  near  libraries  and 
concerts,  and  have  some  chance  of  picking  up  odd 
pieces  of  work.  Suppose  I  go  in  for  journalism?  How 
am  I  to  be  in  the  hum  of  things  when  I  live  a 
dozen  miles  away,  and  have  probably  a  bad  service  of 
trains  ? ' 

'Suppose  I  get  accompanying  to  do  at  concerts?  I 
intend  to  call  on  some  of  the  lady  professionals  who 
sing  father's  songs  and  ask  them  to  give  me  a  chance. 
I  shall  have  to  get  used  to  going  about  by  myself 
at  night,  but  it  would  be  nice  to  be  in  a  central 
position,  and  not  have  too  far  to  go,'  said  Hope 
wistfully;  and  her  eldest  sister,  looking  at  her  golden 
locks  and  sweet  pink-and-white  face,  came  to  a  sudden 
determination. 

'  We  will  take  the  flat.  It 's  no  use  doing  things 
by  halves.  We  must  hope  to  save  the  money  in 
travelling  expenses  and  lunches.  I  will  write  to  the 
agent  and  settle  it  to-night.' 

So  the  flat  was  taken,  and  the  question  of  furniture 
was  the  next  to  come  upon  the  tapis.  For  the  larger 
articles  there  could  be  no  accommodation ;  they  must 
be  sold  for  what  they  would  bring;  but  even  without 
them  there  was  an  incredible  number  of  possessions 


THE    REMOVAL.  39 

•with  which  it  seemed  impossible  to  part.  Curtains 
were  faded,  carpets  so  darned  and  mended  as  to  be 
incapable  of  removal,  but  Edgar  Charrington  had  been 
picking  up  artistic  treasures  all  his  life,  and  the 
rooms  were  crowded  with  quaint,  old-world  furniture. 
There  was  a  Chinese  cabinet,  shaped  like  a  pagoda, 
with  coloured  Chinese  figures  standing  in  the  niches. 
It  would  take  up  more  room  than  could  be  spared, 
but  who  could  bear  to  part  with  it,  remembering  the 
fascination  of  those  figures  to  the  infant  mind,  the 
later  joy  of  turning  over  the  contents  of  the  daintily 
fitting  drawers,  and  sniffing  the  sweet,  musty  odour? 
There  was  an  oak-framed  picture  of  a  church,  with  a 
real  clock  fitted  into  the  steeple.  A  place  for  that 
must  be  found  somewhere,  or  life  would  be  robbed  of 
one  of  its  oldest  associations.  There  was  a  black 
silhouette  picture  of  Great -great -aunt  Martha  riding 
on  a  pillion;  and  another  of  Grandfather  and  Grand- 
mother Charrington,  with  a  family  of  six  little 
Charringtons,  clad  in  decollete  dresses,  spencers,  and 
pantaloons.  What  Goth  or  Vandal  could  find  it  in 
his  heart  to  part  with  them?  There  was  a  collection 
of  old  china,  of  pewter,  of  old  beaten  silver;  and  such 
stacks  of  pictures,  framed  and  unframed,  as  were  quite 
alarming  to  count. 

'  What  shall  we  do  with  them  1  Shall  wo  pack  half 
away  in  chests  and  ask  the  vicar  to  store  them  in 
his  loft?  He  would  be  only  too  glad  to  keep  them 
for  us.  It  seems  absurd  to  take  such  a  collection. 


40  THE    REMOVAL. 

The  place  will  look  like  a  museum/  cried  Philippa, 
in  despair;  but  the  idea  seemed  to  commend  itself 
rather  than  otherwise  to  her  ambitious  young  sisters. 

'Just  what  it  ought  to  look,  as  a  temple  of  the 
Muses.  No  use  pretending  to  be  artistic  against  a 
commonplace  background.  Let  us  make  our  rooms  as 
striking,  and  unusual,  and  "ancestory"  as  we  can.  I 
hate  a  house  that  looks  as  if  it  had  been  furnished  yes- 
terday. When  people  come  to  call,  they  will  have  a 
pretty  good  idea  of  what  we  are  by  looking  round 
our  rooms.' 

'But  who  is  to  come,  you  dear  little  snob?  We 
know  nobody.  I  'm  afraid  the  arrival  of  the  Charrington 
family  won't  make  much  stir  in  the  great  Metropolis. 
I  can  tell  you  I  felt  a  lone,  lorn  creature,  walking 
about  those  crowded  streets,  and  thinking  that  not  a 
single  soul  knew  me  or  cared  whether  I  lived  or  died. 
As  for  Aunt  Loftus,  she  may  come  once,  perhaps,  to 
pay  a  formal  call,  but  we  sha'n't  be  troubled  with  her 
after  that;  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  count  upon 
uncle's  promised  introductions.  We  shall  be  left  severely 
to  ourselves.' 

'  I  am  going  up  to  London  to  know  and  be  known, 
and  I  am  not  going  to  be  left  alone  for  anybody,' 
cried  Madge,  tossing  her  head  with  a  consequential  air. 
'Seclusion  may  suit  some  people,  but  not  this  child. 
I'm  going  to  make  friends,  and  have  a  real  good 
time.  I  think  I  shall  start  a  salon,  like  that  Madame 
de  Thingummy  in  Paris,  and  make  our  house  the 


THE   REMOVAL.  41 

resort  of  all  the  learned  and  celebrated  people  of  the 
day.  I've  read  about  her  in  magazines,  and  it  sounds 
quite  easy.  You  don't  need  to  be  pretty,  nor  rich,  nor 
to  live  in  a  big  house;  all  you  have  to  do  is  to 
announce  that  you  are  at  home  on  certain  evenings, 
and  give  cups  of  coffee,  and  be  very  vivacious,  and 
talk,  and  make  people  laugh.  You  can  give  the  coffee, 
and  I  '11  talk !  There 's  never  any  difficulty  in  that ; 
the  trouble  is  to  be  quiet.  Wait  until  you  see  Cabinet 
Ministers,  and  Presidents  of  the  Academy,  and  cele- 
brated authors  all  driving  up  to  our  door,  and  toiling 
up  hundreds  of  steps  on  purpose  to  enjoy  the  fascina- 
tions of  my  society  ! ' 

'Very  well;  I'll  wait.  It  will  be  good  exercise  for 
my  patience.  For  my  own  part,  I  have  resigned 
myself  to  single  blessedness,  staying  at  home  cook- 
ing dinners  and  darning  stockings  while  you  are  out 
making  your  fortunes.  I  shall  be  too  busy  to  be  lonely ; 
and  if  you  earn  money,  I  shall  save  it.  We  can't  all 
be  fascinating  society  leaders,'  said  Philippa  cruelly. 
She  was  so  devoted  to  Madge,  so  tempted  to  applaud 
all  that  she  said  and  did,  that  as.  a  pure  matter  of 
conscience  she  felt  bound  to  snub  her  now  and  then, 
just  to  show  her  impartiality !  It  had  very  little  effect, 
however,  for  Miss  Madge  was  too  sharp  not  to  see 
through  the  pretence,  and  refused  to  be  in  the  least 
impressed  by  her  strictures. 

What  a  comfort  the  girl  was  in  the  weeks  which 
followed,  when  the  burden  of  responsibility  seemed  to 


42  THE   REMOVAL. 

weigh  ever  more  and  more  heavily  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  two  young  heads  of  the  family !  Hope  was  always 
ready  with  sympathy,  Theo  with  dramatic  invectives 
against  the  cruelty  of  fate,  but  Madge  met  difficulties 
with  a  laugh  and  a  jest,  and  the  sound  thereof  was 
as  sunshine  in  the  house.  In  some  respects  fortune 
favoured  the  adventurers  at  the  start,  for  Stephen's  firm 
made  no  difficulty  about  his  removal,  while  Mr  Matthews 
snapped  at  the  offer  of  the  house,  and  even  promised 
to  buy  the  fixtures  'at  a  valuation.'  But  here  the 
disappointments  began.  Philippa  instantly  made  a  valua- 
tion on  her  own  account,  and  added  generously  to  the 
total  in  consideration  of  those  manifold  odds  and  ends 
which  accumulate  in  households  of  thirty  years'  standing, 
but  which  are  hardly  worth  the  cost  of  cartage  to 
pastures  new :  oddments  of  glass  and  china,  of  tin  and 
iron  and  earthenware ;  mouldy  volumes  which  no  one 
will  read ;  chairs  minus  a  leg,  rusty  fireirons,  and 
damaged  ornaments. 

'With  a  little  glue  and  patching  you  might  make 
good  things  of  them  yet.  Five  pounds  at  the  least ! 
No;  say  seven  pounds.  Seven  pounds  added  to  forty- 
five — over  fifty  pounds  in  all !  That  ought  to  pay  for 
the  removal  and  leave  something  over  for  carpets  and 
blinds.  Thank  goodness,  I  can  mark  that  expense  off  the 
list ! '  sighed  Philippa. 

But  alas  for  the  frailty  of  human  hopes !  The  valuer's 
estimate  came  to  exactly  a  third  of  the  sum  expected, 
while  one  and  all  the  dealers  refused  to  bid  for  the 


THE    REMOVAL.  43 

valuable  collection  of  antiquities,  so  that  in  the  end 
a  cart  had  to  be  hired  to  convey  the  whole  to  the 
village  schoolroom,  to  be  sold  at  a  coming  rummage  sale  ! 
Scarcely  had  poor  Philippa  recovered  from  this  blow 
than  the  estimate  from  the  furniture  remover  arrived 
to  cast  her  down  once  more.  She  screamed  aloud  when 
her  eye  lighted  on  the  horrible  total.  But  what  could 
one  dol  The  things  must  be  moved,  and  the  firm 
in  question  had  been  recommended  for  its  economy. 
It  was  appalling  to  think  of  the  inroads  into  capital 
which  would  be  made  before  the  real  life  in  town 
could  begin;  and  Philippa  needed  all  her  courage  when 
the  hour  came  to  say  good-bye  to  the  old  home,  and 
go  forth  to  prepare  the  flat  for  its  inmates.  Madge 
Avas  to  accompany  her,  as  a  matter  of  course.  It  had 
been  so  certain  that  she  would  be  chosen  as  helper 
that  the  matter  was  not  even  discussed.  Hope  and 
Theo  took  refuge  at  the  vicarage,  Steve  with  a  bachelor 
friend;  Barney  was  to  remain  at  school  until  the  half- 
term;  and  Madge  decreed  that  no  one  was  to  approach 
the  flat  until  all  preparations  were  finished,  and  the 
artistic  beauty  of  the  whole  ready  to  burst  upon  the 
enraptured  sight.  Philippa  thought  of  the  chimney-pots, 
and  the  soot,  and  the  narrow  passages,  and  the  weary 
flight  of  stairs,  coldly  clean,  with  bottles  of  fire-extin- 
guisher ranged  on  the  wall  at  each  landing,  to  remind 
the  dwellers  on  the  top  story  of  the  peril  in  which 
they  lived !  She  thought  of  the  narrow,  begrimed 
windows,  of  the  cheap  fireplaces,  and  the  saffron  paper 


44  THE   REMOVAL. 

in  the  sitting-room,  and  felt  it  her  painful  duty  to 
undeceive  the  young  enthusiast  lest  the  blow  might 
fall  too  heavily  upon  her.  But  Madge  refused  to  be 
cast  down,  and  went  through  the  ordeal  of  the  first 
inspection  with  an  undaunted  smile. 

1  My  hat ! '  she  exclaimed  as  she  peered  out  of 
the  first  window  and  beheld  the  roof -scape  in  all  the 
beauty  of  a  drizzling  autumn  rain ;  and  though  the  ex- 
pression was  neither  lady-like  nor  elegant,  nor  in  the 
least  degree  appropriate,  it  yet  had  a  quaint,  whimsical 
sound  which  made  Philippa  laugh  and  draw  a  breath 
of  relief. 

'  Yes !  I  told  you  so.  I  didn't  exaggerate,  you  see. 
Cheerful  and  comprehensive,  isn't  it?  This  is  the 
dining-room.  Not  much  room  to  spare  when  you  have 
the  table  in  the  middle.  I  don't  know  if  we  can  get 
it  in  at  all.' 

'  If  we  can't  we  '11  dine  at  small  tables  like  a 
restaurant — far  more  chic.  Not  a  bad  little  den  when 
it  is  dressed  up.  Jolly  cosy  in  winter.  When  summer 
comes  I  shall  live  up  on  the  leads  and  make  a  roof- 
garden.  Is  there  any  way  out1?' 

'Don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Come  and  look  at  the  bed- 
rooms. We  can  have  first  choice,  I  suppose,  as  I'm 
the  eldest;  but  if  you  don't  mind,  I'd  like  the  girls 
to  be  at  the  front.  You  could  hardly  imagine  that  the 
one  at  the  side  could  be  smaller  and  more  dreary,  but  it 
is ;  and  Theo  would  be  so  wretched !  Do  you  think  we 
could  possibly  get  our  things  in  here?' 


THE    REMOVAL.  45 

Madge  stood  prospecting  the  small  square  box  with  a 
ruminating  gaze.  'Bed  there — dressing-table  there — wash- 
stand  there — chest  of No;  can't  be  done.  "We  shall 

have  to  do  without  a  dressing-table,  and  use  the  top 
of  the  bureau.  We  can  manage  all  right  that  way;  but 
you  will  always  have  to  get  up  first,  and  make  way 
for  me  while  I  have  my  last  little  snooze.  It  will  be 
good  practice  for  our  tempers,  for  we  really  daren't 
quarrel  in  such  very  close  quarters.  Let's  look  at  the 
sitting-room  for  a  change.  You  said  that  was  a  decent 
size.' 

'Oh  yes — quite;  and  a  pretty  shape,  too.  Don't  you 
like  the  shape1?  Don't  you  think  that  rounded  window  is 
sweet  in  the  corner?  It  would  make  a  dear,  quiet  little 
nook  if  it  were  curtained  off;  wouldn't  it,  dear?'  cried  the 
eldest  sister,  anxious  to  divert  the  artist's  eyes  from  the 
saffron  paper,  with  the  aggressive  roses  and  the  gilded 
leaves,  which  was  in  such  disastrously  good  condition 
that  the  company  '  could  not  really  be  expected  to  replace 
it.' 

'  Yes ;  I  '11  sit  in  there  when  I  'm  engaged,  and  let 
the  cord  go  free.  A  very  good  room,  with  plenty  of 
possibilities.  Nothing  square  and  stiff  about  it.  That 
corner  would  do  charmingly  for  the  cabinet ;  and  we 
will  fit  in  shelves  for  the  china  in  that  funny  little 
niche.  We  must  keep  the  middle  of  the  floor  as  clear 
as  possible,  for  I  shall  want  space  for  my  receptions. 
Philippa  CharringtonJ  Do  you  mean  to  look  me  in  the 
face  and  say  that  you  are  responsible  for  this  paper?' 


46  THE    REMOVAL. 

'No,  no — of  course  not.  The  last  tenant  left  it.  I 
begged  hard  for  another,  but  it  was  no  use.  Make  the 
best  of  it  just  now,  there 's  a  dear,  and  perhaps  in  a 
year  or  so  we  may  get  another.' 

'We  are  going  to  have  another  before  the  week  is 
out,'  declared  Madge;  and  when  her  sister  protested, 
'Look  here,'  she  said  sturdily,  'let  us  come  to  a  clear 
understanding.  We  made  up  our  minds  to  make  this 
move  and  to  face  the  cost,  and  we  are  not  going  to 
spoil  the  house  for  the  sake  of  a  few  pounds.  Before 
we  have  done  with  putting  things  in  order  we  shall 
have  a  dozen  unexpected  expenses.  Things  won't  fit 
and  will  have  to  be  altered;  we  shall  have  to  buy 
little  fixings,  and  have  workmen  in  and  out.  If  you 
are  going  to  groan  over  every  sixpence  we  shall  have 
a  dismal  old  time.  Make  up  your  mind  to  pay  and 
be  cheerful,  since  you've  got  to  pay  whether  you  like 
it  or  not.  About  this  wall-paper !  I  suppose  there  are 
some  families  who  could  live  in  peace  and  happiness 
staring  at  yellow  cabbages,  but  we  are  not  one  of 
them.  We  inherit  artistic  fastidiousness,  and  should  hate 
them  worse  every  day  of  our  lives.  When  we  can't 
afford  to  go  out  for  amusements,  isn't  it  our  duty  to 
make  home  as  attractive  as  possible?  When  we  shall 
spend  a  round  hundred  over  the  removal,  is  it  worth 
while  to  spoil  our  best  room  for  the  sake  of  an  extra 
sovereign  ? ' 

'You  can't  possibly' 

'Yes,    I    can.      I    can    buy    a    self-coloured    paper    for 


THE    REMOVAL.  47 

next  to  nothing — a  pretty  soft  blue,  I  think,  to  make  a 
good  background  for  the  pictures — and  hang  it  myself, 
to  save  the  expense  of  the  workman.' 

'You  can't  possibly' 

'  Nonsense !  I  did  my  own  room  at  home,  and 
there's  no  matching  about  a  plain  paper.  I  could  not 
face  Theo  with  that  atrocity  on  the  walls.  And  besides, 
think  of  my  salon!' 

'  Oh,  well !  have  it  your  own  way,'  Philippa  cried, 
with  affected  disgust. 

It  was  impossible  not  to  feel  more  interest  in  the 
room  now  that  it  could  be  imagined  in  its  pretty  new 
dress,  and  the  discussion  of  how  it  should  be  arranged 
and  decorated  occupied  an  hour  out  of  a  dreary  wait. 
The  sisters  had  slept  the  night  before  at  a  boarding- 
house,  and  had  hurried  to  the  flat  directly  after  break- 
fast, so  as  to  be  ready  to  receive  the  furniture  at 
ten  o'clock  as  agreed.  At  eleven  o'clock  there  was  no 
sign  of  the  vans  j  but  no  one  expects  furniture-vans 
to  be  punctual  within  an  hour  or  two,  and  until  noon 
the  girls  managed  to  possess  themselves  in  patience,  and 
to  find  amusement  in  wandering  from  room  to  room. 
But  when  one  o'clock  drew  near  the  matter  became 
serious.  They  had  brought  a  tea-basket  with  them,  but 
there  were  no  chairs  on  which  to  sit,  no  table  to  hold 
the  cups  and  saucers.  They  were  growing  tired,  and  were 
longing  to  get  to  work  while  daylight  lasted,  and  to  have 
a  bed  to  sleep  on  before  night  fell.  It  was  two  o'clock 
before  the  first  van  arrived,  and  seven  before  the  men 


48  THE    REMOVAL. 

departed,  leaving  the  two  young  mistresses  to  thread  their 
way  between  stacks  of  furniture,  unopened  crates,  and 
boxes  of  luggage.  There  was  no  room  for  a  servant  to 
sleep  in  the  flat,  and  the  charwoman  who  was  engaged 
to  help  could  not  come  until  the  following  day,  so  it 
was  hopeless  to  try  to  do  more  than  get  one  bedroom 
in  tolerable  order.  By  Hope's  forethought  the  necessary 
blankets  and  linen  had  been  packed  in  one  box  and 
plainly  labelled,  so  preparations  were  soon  made,  and  by 
eight  o'clock  the  tired  workers  were  already  longing  for 
bed.  Downstairs  in  the  basement  was  a  public  dining- 
room  where  dinner  could  be  obtained  for  a  shilling  a 
head;  but  they  were  too  dishevelled  and  footsore  to  feel 
inclined  to  appear  in  public,  so  they  refreshed  themselves 
instead  with  more  tea,  more  cakes,  more  dried-up  sand- 
wiches. Philippa  leant  back  in  her  chair  and  sighed 
heavily  as  she  looked  first  at  her  roughened  hands,  then 
at  the  hopeless  disorder  by  which  she  was  surrounded. 

'I  used  to  dream,'  she  said  slowly — 'I  used  to  dream 
of  coming  up  to  London.  Father  seemed  so  often  on 
the  eve  of  doing  something  great,  and  I  used  to  imagine 
what  it  would  be  like  if  the  book  really  turned  out 
as  he  expected,  or  the  picture  made  his  name  famous. 
He  would  have  brought  us  to  town,  and  we  should  have 
been  rich,  and  every  one  would  have  wanted  to  know 

us' 

'  I  know  !  So  have  I.  "  Beautiful  Miss  Charringtons — 
the  rage  of  the  London  season."  That's  the  kind  of 
thing,  isn't  it?  I'm  not  beautiful,  of  course,  but  I'm 


THE   REMOVAL.  49 

vivacious — that 's  my  point.  I  can  expiegle  fifty  times 
better  than  Hope,  though  she  is  such  a  darling.  You 
are  very  handsome,  Phil,  when  you  look  pleasant;  and 
Theo  has  the  air  of  a  princess  in  disguise.  We  are 
an  interesting  family.  It  seems  hard  lines  that  the  world 
should  not  know  us.  We  do  seem  slightly — just  a  little 
— what  you  might  call  cornered  up  here.' 

'"We  do  indeed.  Oh,  it  is  different — so  different  from 
what  I  expected ! '  faltered  poor,  tired  Philippa,  with  a 
sob;  and  then  of  a  sudden  her  fears  and  dreads  caught 
her  in  a  grip  from  which  there  was  no  escape.  She 
looked  round  the  strange,  unlovely  room,  through  the  bare 
window  at  the  great  city,  lurid  and  threatening  in  the 
light  of  many  lamps,  and  trembled  at  the  thought  of 
what  she  had  done.  She  had  been  as  a  mother  to  these 
children,  and  she  had  brought  them  away  from  their 
peaceful  home  to  face  a  thousand  trials,  a  thousand 
difficulties :  Stephen,  constitutionally  despondent,  to  be 
burdened  with  fresh  responsibilities;  the  girls,  ardent 
and  credulous,  to  be  ready  prey  for  unscrupulous  acquaint- 
ances; Barney,  pining  for  mischief,  to  a  swift  and  certain 
ruin !  Her  face  blanched ;  she  held  out  her  hands  to  her 
sister  with  a  gesture  of  terrified  appeal. 

'  Madge,  Madge,  I  'm  frightened !  Suppose  it  is  all 
a  mistake !  Suppose  we  fail,  and  all  the  money  goes, 
and  we  are  left  penniless  and  alone  in  this  great 
wilderness !  I  have  read  of  it  so  often  :  people  come  up 
hoping  to  make  their  fortunes,  and  the  time  passes,  and 

they    move    into    smaller     and     smaller     rooms — and    no 
Genius.  D 


50  THE   REMOVAL. 

work  comes — and  they  fall  ill.  It  is  my  doing!  I 
persuaded  Stephen.  Oh  Madge,  if  it's  all  a  mistake, 
you  will  believe  I  did  it  for  the  best,  won't  you?  I 
was  not  thinking  of  myself.  It  would  have  been  easier 
for  me  to  stay  where  we  were.  You  will  not  blame 
me  if  the  money  goes  and  there*  is  none  left?  Promise 
that  you  will  never  blame  me.' 

But  Madge  lay  back  in  her  chair  and  folded  her  arms 
out  of  reach  of  the  trembling  hands. 

'  I  will,  though ! '  she  replied  bluntly.  c  I  '11  make  an 
awful  row;  and  quite  right,  too,  for  it  will  be  your  fault. 
If  you  lose  heart  the  very  first  night,  and  fall  to  crying 
and  groaning,  how  do  you  expect  to  get  on?  If  you  get 
low  in  your  mind,  Steve  will  be  indigo,  and  Hope  and 
Theo  will  have  no  spirit  left  in  them.  As  for  me,  I  'm  not 
going  to  fail,  nor  fall  ill,  nor  starve,  nor  throw  myself 
over  London  Bridge,  nor  anything  else  interesting  or 
melodramatic.  I've  always  longed  to  come  up  to  town, 
and  now  that  I  am  here  I  am  going  to  enjoy  myself  in 
the  best  way  I  can.  It  is  ripping  to  work  hard  when 
you  feel  you  are  getting  on,  and  a  little  taste  of  success 
now  and  then  will  be  a  wonderful  fillip.  There  must  be 
some  compensations  for  being  poor,  and  I  mean  to  find 
them  out,  and  see  if  I  can't  get  as  much  fun  for  sixpence 
as  Avice  Loftus  does  for  a  sovereign.' 

'I — I  believe  you  will,'  said  Philippa,  with  a  feeble 
laugh.  '  You  mustn't  think  me  a  coward,  Madge ;  I  could 
be  brave  for  myself;  but  it  is  the  awful  feeling  of  re- 
sponsibility that  weighs  upon  me.  All  this  day  I  have 


THE   REMOVAL.  51 

been  saying  to  myself,  "Now  we  are  here.  "What  is  the 
next  step?  What  ought  we  to  do  next?"' 

'Go  to  bed,  I  should  say.  You  look  as  if  you  needed 
it/  came  the  curt  rejoinder;  and  at  that  Philippa  was 
obliged  to  laugh  outright. 

'  Oh,  Mr  Dick,  Mr  Dick !  your  common-sense  is  invalu- 
able. Come  along,  then;  let  us  go.  We  shall  need  all 
the  rest  we  can  get  to  prepare  us  for  our  hard  work 
to-rnorrow.' 


52 


CHAPTER    V. 

FIRST   IMPRESSIONS. 

; 

WEEK  after  the  girls  had  taken  possession  of 
the  flat  Stephen  joined  them,  and  spent  his 
evenings  carpentering,  hanging  up  pictures, 
and  laying  carpets,  as  a  pleasant  relaxation 
after  a  day's  work  in  the  City.  He  had  been  un- 
pleasantly surprised  to  discover  that,  though  the  firm 
for  which  he  worked  was  of  long  standing  and  first- 
class  position,  its  offices  were  by  no  means  so  large  or 
so  comfortable  as  those  which  he  had  left  behind  in  the 
little  country  town.  The  room  in  which  he  worked  was 
so  dark  that  the  gas  seemed  to  be  burning  all  day  long ; 
the  windows  looked  out  on  a  narrow  side-street ;  there 
was  a  continual  roar  of  traffic,  a  rumbling  from  the  trains 
underground.  His  head  ached,  and  he  found  it  impossible 
to  concentrate  his  thoughts.  But  when  the  long  day 
came  to  an  end,  there  was  a  certain  exhilaration  in  walk- 
ing home  through  the  crowded  streets,  in  looking  at 
historic  scenes,  and  feeling  that  one  was  an  inmate  of 
the  greatest  city,  of  the  capital  of  the  world ! 

Every  evening,  too,  the  flat  looked  more  home-like,  as 
suitable  resting-places  were  discovered  for  the  old  furni- 
ture, and  the  familiar  pictures  smiled  a  welcome  from  the 


FIRST    IMPRESSIONS.  53 

walls.  Madge's  paper-hanging  had  been  a  success  of  which 
she  was  justly  proud,  and  the  little  dining-room  looked 
both  pretty  and  cosy  when  the  curtains  were  drawn  and 
the  lamps  lighted.  The  girls  were  tired  but  cheerful, 
and  had  always  amusing  little  anecdotes  to  relate  as  glean- 
ings from  the  day's  work ;  the  workmen,  the  charwoman,  the 
porter  at  the  door  downstairs,  were  all  so  different  from 
the  country-folk  to  whom  they  had  been  accustomed;  and 
imitation  of  the  Cockney  accent  proved  an  unfailing  source 
of  delight.  Madge  cultivated  special  sentences  with  a  view 
to  impressing  her  sisters  on  their  arrival,  and  when  they 
drove  up  to  the  door,  insisted  upon  'p'ying  the  keb'  with 
a  vehemence  which  left  them  speechless  with  consternation. 
Hope  and  Theo  were  conveyed  upstairs  flight  after 
flight — for  the  lift  had  not  yet  been  introduced  into  these 
unfashionable  mansions — and  when  at  last  they  could  go 
no  farther,  lo !  there  was  an  open  door,  a  blaze  of  light 
sending  forth  a  welcome,  and  the  new  home  all  ready  to 
receive  them,  even  to  the  very  tea  on  the  table,  and  hot 
water  in  the  basins  in  the  bedrooms.  It  was  delightful 
to  meet  again,  to  have  the  first  meal  in  the  new  home, 
to  feel  that  the  step  so  long  contemplated  was  an  accom- 
plished fact;  and  if  a  certain  amount  of  disillusion  had 
to  be  endured,  the  new-comers  had  enough  good  feeling 
to  notice  only  what  they  could  admire.  Dark  though  it 
was,  it  was  scarcely  seven  o'clock  when  the  evening  meal 
was  finished;  and  in  the  state  of  pent-up  excitement  in 
which  the  travellers  found  themselves,  it  seemed  impossible 
to  stay  quietly  indoors. 


54  FIRST    IMPRESSIONS. 

'Couldn't  we  do  something?'  asked  Hope  wistfully. 
'I  feel  like  a  caged  lion  shut  up  here,  knowing  that 
London  lies  outside.  We  need  not  go  to  bed  for  three 
hours  at  least.  Oh  Steve !  the  top  of  an  omnibus — a 
drive  along  the  streets,  with  all  the  lights — past  St.  Paul's 
and  the  Abbey,  and  along  the  Embankment.  Could  we 
do  it?  Oh,  do  you  think  we  might  do  it?' 

The  eager  voice  and  pleading  eyes  raised  a  general 
laugh  of  amusement,  and  even  the  prudent  Stephen  could 
find  no  objection  to  so  innocent  a  request. 

'Well,  really,  I  think  we  might  rise  to  that.  Put  on 
warm  coats,  and  we  will  lock  the  door  behind  us  and 
sally  forth.  An  omnibus  to  St  Paul's,  and  another  to 
Victoria  Station,  and  back  the  best  way  we  can.  I  don't 
know  the  ropes  yet,  but  we  shall  easily  find  out.  It  will 
do  Phil  and  Madge  good,  too,  for  they  have  hardly  stirred 
out  of  the  flat  this  last  fortnight.' 

No  sooner  said  than  done.  It  was  astonishing  how 
quickly  hats  and  jackets  were  donned,  and  in  a  quarter  of 
an  hour's  time  the  four  girls  were  fearfully  clambering  xip 
the  narrow  steps  leading  to  the  top  of  a  '  City '  'bus,  and 
taking  their  seats  on  the  foremost  benches.  Hope  took 
an  outside  place,  but  begged  to  change  seats  before  she 
had  driven  a  hundred  yards;  at  every  turn  and  crossing 
her  heart  died  within  her,  and  she  seemed  to  look  death 
in  the  face.  She  hung  on  to  Philippa's  arm  and  groaned 
incessantly,  but  when  asked  if  she  would  like  to  return 
home,  '  Oh  no,  no !  I  love  it,'  she  cried,  and  groaned 
again,  more  fearfully  than  before. 


FIRST    IMPRESSIONS.  55 

The  other  occupants  of  the  benches  stared  with  curious 
gaze  at  the  five  young  people,  whose  animation  was  in 
such  marked  contrast  to  their  own  phlegmatic  calm;  and 
Theo  studied  them  in  her  turn,  making  up  little  romances 
concerning  them,  as  her  nature  was.  'That  fat  dark  man 
is  married  to  the  little  woman  in  blue.  She  was  left  an 
orphan,  and  he  was  a  friend  of  her  father's.  He  offered 
to  marry  her,  and  she  was  lonely  and  sad,  and  didn't 
care  very  much  what  she  did.  He  is  very  kind  to  her; 
he  is  carrying  all  the  parcels;  but  her  heart  isn't  satisfied. 
She  stares  before  her  all  the  time,  and  never  speaks.  .  .  . 
The  girl  with  the  pearl  beads  serves  in  a  shop.  She  is 
going  home  to  a  suburb,  and  her  "  young  man  "  will  meet 
her  at  the  station.  They  are  going  to  have  a  little  shop 
together,  and  she  is  thinking  how  she  will  manage  it. 
How  she  does  turn  and  twist!  Her  hair  is  like  a  great 
turban  round  her  head.  She  would  be  pretty  if  she 
would  not  spoil  herself  so.  ...  That  poor,  sad-looking 
young  fellow  has  just  had  notice  to  leave  his  situation. 
He  is  thinking  how  he  can  tell  his  wife.  He  will  put  his 
arms  round  her,  and  they  will  cry  together.  She  will  kiss 
him  and  say,  "For  better,  for  worse,  dear;  for  richer,  for 
poorer."  Her  voice  will  be  like  music.  He  will  look  at 
her,  and  his  face  will  shine.  Oh  dear !  I  am  crying 
myself.  How  stupid  !  I  '11  write  an  article — "  On  a  City 
'Bus" — a  character  sketch,  short  and  strong  and  dramatic. 
Where  shall  I  send  it?' 

She  went  off  into  a  reverie,  turning  over  in  her  mind 
the  names  of  different  papers  and  magazines,  planning, 


56  FIRST   IMPRESSIONS. 

wondering,  weaving  dreams,  while  the  omnibus  made  its 
way  down  Holborn  towards  the  Yiaduct.  Madge  and 
Steve  were  chattering  gaily  together.  Hope  sat  with 
clasped  hands,  gazing  eagerly  ahead  for  the  first  glimpse 
of  the  majestic  dome.  Tired  Philippa  blinked  at  the  rows 
of  lamps,  the  flaring  advertisements,  and  gaily  lighted 
saloons,  and  wished  that  the  drive  would  last  for  hours, 
so  that  she  might  sit  still  and  feel  the  refreshing  night- 
air  play  upon  her  brow.  She  groaned  when  the  stoppage 
came  and  Madge  pulled  her  impatiently  by  the  arm ;  and 
had  nothing  but  yawns  to  mingle  with  her  sisters'  ecstasies 
as  they  stood  at  the  corner  of  the  Churchyard,  and  gazed 
and  gazed  until  it  seemed  that  they  would  never  tear 
themselves  away.  Hope  was  hearing  in  imagination  the 
swell  of  the  great  organ,  the  reed-like  sweetness  of  the 
voices  of  the  white-robed  choristers.  Madge  was  already 
painting  a  picture  of  the  great  edifice  by  night,  the 
twinkling  lights  beneath,  the  vast  outline  losing  itself 
mysteriously  in  the  clouds. 

Theo  was  trembling,  and  biting  her  lips  to  keep  back 
the  tears.  To  her  it  was  not  a  building  at  all;  it  was  a 
sign — a  symbol !  The  wide  steps  were  not  empty — she 
saw  on  them  the  blaze  of  great  national  pageants;  the 
wide  nave  was  filled  with  happy  faces,  with  black-robed 
women  who  wept  and  wrung  their  hands;  in  her  ears  was 
the  tramp  of  armed  men.  She  shivered  and  drew  her 
cloak  closely  round  her.  When  the  next  omnibus  for 
Victoria  came  along  she  took  a  surreptitious  opportunity 
of  flicking  the  drops  from  her  eyelashes.  Some  day  she 


Well,  it  was  a  wonderful  drive  ! 


PARE  57. 


FIRST    IMPRESSIONS.  57 

would  write  about  this  too  !  Oh,  what  wealth  of  subjects, 
what  capital,  what  inspiration  in  this  wonderful,  throbbing 
world !  And  then  Stephen  tapped  her  on  the  shoulder 
and  cried  a  well-known  name  : 

'  Fleet  Street,  Theo  !  Allow  me  to  introduce  you.  Your 
special  beat,  my  dear.' 

'My  publishers!  Where  are  my  publishers?'  cried 
Theo  loudly,  as  though  she  expected  to  see  the  heads  of 
the  great  firms  ranged  in  a  body  to  greet  her. 

The  other  occupants  of  the  benches  overheard  her 
words,  and  gazed  upon  her  with  becoming  awe.  This 
was  evidently  a  distinguished  author !  Note  her  well — 
consider  her  features,  so  that  she  may  be  recognised 
by  the  portraits  in  the  shop  windows !  Philippa  smiled 
whimsically  at  the  thought  that  already  Theo  had  made 
an  impression.  What  further  triumphs  or  humiliations 
had  this  Fleet  Street  in  store  for  her? 

Well,  it  was  a  wonderful  drive  !  If  St  Paul's  had  been 
impressive,  what  about  that  glorious  pile  of  buildings  at 
Westminster,  and  the  first  glimpse  of  the  river  by  night?  It 
was  like  a  dream — a  wonderful  dream — in  which  the  imagined 
glories  of  the  world  passed  in  review  before  the  eyes. 

That  night  the  girls  were  in  the  clouds,  lifted  far  above 
mercenary  anxieties ;  but  they  came  back  to  earth  again 
next  morning  when  their  boxes  had  been  unpacked  and 
stored  away,  and  they  were  confronted  with  the  all- 
important  question  of  the  next  move.  When  lunch  was 
over  silence  fell  suddenly  upon  the  little  room,  and  four 
pairs  of  eyes  met  in  solemn  conclave. 


58  FIRST    IMPRESSIONS. 

'I — er — I  shall  go  round  to  the  Slade  School  and  make 
inquiries,'  said  Madge  quickly.  *  We  are  settled  down 
now,  and  must  lose  no  more  time.  I  shall  ask  what  is 
the  very  first  day  I  can  join.' 

'  I  shall  write  to  Mr  Hammond,  the  editor  of  the  Gasket. 
His  firm  publish  books  as  well  as  the  magazine,  and  he 
took  most  of  father's  things.  I  shall  ask  him  if  he  can 
see  me  for  ten  minutes,  as  I  am  thinking  of  devoting 
myself  to  literature  as  a  profession,  and  should  be  grate- 
ful for  his  advice.' 

'I — er — I  am  going  to  pay  a  call  at  Hampstead,'  said 
Hope,  trying  to  look  confident  and  self-possessed,  but 
flushing  a  tell-tale  pink  all  over  her  delicate  face.  '  You 
remember  the  name  of  Miss  Minnie  Caldecott,  who  sings 
some  of  father's  songs  ?  I  found  one  of  her  cards,  and 
she  is  at  home  every  Tuesday  afternoon.  I  thought  if  I 
went  early  I  might  see  her  before  any  one  else  arrived.  I 
have  been  working  at  that  new  song  ever  since  you  left, 
Phil,  and  it  is  pretty !  It 's  the  best  thing  I  have 
written,  and  if  she  took  a  fancy  to  it,  and  promised  to 
sing  it  at  concerts,  it  would  be  so  much  easier  to  find  a 
publisher.  If  I  can  summon  courage  I  shall  ask  her  to 
let  me  accompany  her  as  well.  If  I  could  sell  a  few 
songs,  and  make  a  little  money  by  playing  accompani- 
ments, it  would  help  to  pay  for  my  lessons.' 

Poor  Hope !  She  looked  at  once  so  frightened,  so  eager, 
and  so  pretty  that  her  sisters  broke  into  a  simultaneous 
murmur  of  sympathy. 

'I'll  go  with  you,'  said  Philippa  quickly.     'You  must 


FIRST    IMPRESSIONS.  59 

have   some  one   to  support  you,   poor   dear !     And   how — 
oh,  how  are  we  going  to  find  our  way?' 

'Ask  the  porter  downstairs.  We  shall  have  to  go  ahout 
alone,  so  the  sooner  we  puzzle  it  out  the  hotter.  Yes,  do 
come,  Phil !  If  you  don't,  I  shall  probably  run  away  as 
soon  as  I've  rung  the  bell.  Will  she  be  very  formidable, 
do  you  think?' 

Philippa  did  not  know,  could  not  conjecture.  Profes- 
sional singers  existed  for  her  only  on  the  programmes  of 
concerts.  She  had  never  heard  one  more  celebrated  than 
Miss  James,  the  singing-mistress  from  Coventry.  Some- 
times, she  believed,  they  were  paid  fabulous  prices  for 
singing;  but  Minnie  Caldecott  did  not  seem  to  come  in 
the  first  rank.  Perhaps  she,  like  themselves,  was  strug- 
gling to  make  her  name. 

The  girls  found  their  way  to  Hampstead  with  wonder- 
fully little  trouble;  but  it  was  more  difficult  to  find 
Mayfield  Koad,  and  they  wandered  about  for  half-an- 
hour  before  discovering  its  whereabouts.  It  was  not  an 
attractive  situation ;  neither  was  the  house  a  palatial  resi- 
dence ;  and  though  Miss  Caldecott  was  '  at  home '  as  usual, 
the  costume  of  the  servant-maid  left  much  to  be  desired. 
She  led  the  way  down  a  narrow  entrance-hall,  and  showed 
the  visitors  into  a  room  at  the  back  of  the  house,  saying 
that  Miss  Caldecott  would  be  with  them  in  a  few  minutes' 
time. 

It  was  barely  half-past  three,  yet  two  lamps  were 
already  burning  under  elaborate  pink  shades,  and  there 
was  a  profusion  of  flowers  on  the  mantelpiece  and  on 


60  FIRST   IMPRESSIONS. 

the  small  tables  with  which  the  floor  was  crowded.  The 
piano  stood  open,  with  a  litter  of  torn  sheets  on  the  top, 
and  there  were  photographs — photographs  everywhere — of 
extraordinary-looking  people,  who  all  seemed  to  write  their 
names  underneath  with  fat  quill-pens  and  many  dashes. 
The  lady  with  the  little  ring  in  the  middle  of  her  fore- 
head was  '  Mabs ; '  the  one  swinging  in  a  hammock  was 
'  Bella ; '  '  Fanny '  smirked  from  a  bower  of  palms,  and 
wore  ropes  and  ropes  of  pearls  round  her  neck.  There 
was  a  framed  photograph  on  the  wall  with  a  signature 
like  the  rest.  From  across  the  room  Hope  recognised  a 
familiar  name,  and  was  about  to  rise  to  study  it  close 
at  hand,  when  swish-swish  came  the  rustle  of  silken 
skirts,  the  door  opened,  and  Miss  Caldecott  herself  made 
her  appearance. 


61 


CHAPTER    VI. 

HOPE'S     FIRST    VENTURE. 

TSS  CALDECOTT  was  taU  and  stout,  had  wavy 
hair  and  arched  eyebrows,  and  wore  a  slightly 
decollete  gown  of  blue  silk,  a  trifle  soiled  if 
you  looked  at  it  in  a  critical  spirit,  but  won- 
derfully elaborate  and  becoming.  The  broad,  beaming  face 
was  young,  and  but  for  its  undue  size  would  have  been 
strikingly  pretty.  She  looked  at  the  sisters,  showing 
her  straight,  white  teeth  in  the  most  friendly  of  smiles, 
and  squeezed  Hope's  hand  until  she  winced  with  the  pain. 

'How  do  you  do,  dear?'  she  said.  'How  d'do,  dear?' 
to  Philippa.  'Wretched  day,  isn't  it?  So  good  of  you 
to  come  !  Sit  down  and  rest.  I  always  flop  on  the  sofa 
the  moment  I  come  in.  So  tiring  dragging  about,  isn't 
it?  But  you  are  thin.  Wait  until  you  get  fat  like  me.' 

Her  shoulders  shook ;  her  eyes  danced ;  the  dimples  dipped 
in  her  round,  pink  cheeks.  Philippa  and  Hope  were  obliged 
to  laugh  in  sympathy,  but  it  was  very  embarrassing;  she 
evidently  mistook  them  for  old  friends.  Hope  cleared  her 
throat  and  began  the  rehearsed  explanation. 

'I  am  Hope  Charrington,  and  this  is  my  sister.  You 
knew  my  father — by  name  at  least.  You  used  to  sing 
some  of  his  songs.' 


62  HOPE'S   FIRST   VENTURE. 

Miss  Caldecott  looked  blank ;  then  she  began  to  laugh. 
It  appeared  that  she  was  always  laughing. 

'  Then  I  didn't  know  you  after  all !  Heaps  of  people 
come  to  see  me,  and  I've  the  silliest  memory — always 
forget  what  I  ought  to  remember.  Doesn't  make  much 
difference,  does  it?  I  know  you  now.  Sung  your  father's 
songs,  did  I  ?  Charrington !  Charrington !  Don't  re- 
member. What  were  they  called,  do  you  know?' 

Hope's  heart  sank.  She  had  expected  the  name  to  act 
as  an  open-sesame,  and  it  was  not  even  recognised. 

'  One  was  "  A  Song  of  Summer," '  she  said  slowly, 
'and  another  "Into  the  Night."' 

'  La-la-la-La !  Ta-ta-ta-Ta  !  Kefrain  went  like  that,  didn't 
it?  I  remember.  Pretty  change  in  the  second  verse. 
High  G  sustained  in  the  last  bar.  I  used  to  bless  him 
when  I  came  to  that  note.  And  he  is  dead,  you  say1? 
What  a  pity.  So  clever,  too !  Do  you  compose  ?  You 
have  a  musical  face.' 

Here  was  a  lead,  indeed  !  Hope  flushed  with  eagerness, 
and  her  voice  broke  with  a  little  nervous  tremor.  Miss 
Caldecott  was  so  friendly,  so  open,  so  far  removed  from 
being  formidable  that  it  was  impossible  to  believe  that 
she  could  refuse  her  request. 

'  Oh  yes,  I  do.  That 's  what  I  came  to  speak  to  you 
about  to-day.  We  have  come  up  to  London  to  try  to  find 
work,  for  we  are  very  poor.  As  you  had  liked  father's 
songs,  I  was  going  to  ask  if  you  would  be  so  very,  very 
kind  as  to  try  one  of  mine.  I  have  it  with  me  now. 
Messrs  Holding  &  Co.  published  one  for  me  before, 


HOPE'S   FIRST   VENTURE.  63 

and  if  you  liked  this,  and  would  promise  to  sing  it, 
they  would  be  so  much  more  willing  to  accept  it.  It 
is  very  bold  of  me  to  ask.  I  am  horribly  nervous,  but 
you  are  so  kind.' 

Miss  Caldecott  laughed  and  shook  her  head. 

'Not  in  business  matters,  dear,'  she  said.  'I  have  to 
keep  my  wits  about  me  in  business.  If  you  knew  the 
shoals  of  things  I  have  sent  to  me !  But  I  hate  to  say 
no.  Got  the  song  with  you,  do  you  say?  Strum  it  over, 
like  a  dear,  and  let  me  hear  how  it  goes.  Sing  it  too, 
if  you  can.  I've  got  a  horrid  cold.' 

Hope  rose  eagerly.  She  had  been  prepared  for  this, 
and  was  less  nervous  in  playing  than  in  speaking.  The 
piano  was  delightful ;  she  was  tingling  to  make  the  most 
of  her  opportunity,  and  played  the  introductory  bars 
with  a  dainty  finish  which  brought  Miss  Caldecott's  eyes 
upon  her  with  an  appreciatory  flash.  She  listened  in 
silence  to  the  first  verse,  nodding  her  head  to  and  fro, 
then  turned  to  Philippa  with  another  beaming  smile. 

'Nice  little  pipe,  hasn't  she?  Sweet  and  simple  like 
herself.  I  say !  it  wouldn't  go  far  in  the  Albert  Hall, 
would  it?  Let  me  try  a  verse.'  She  put  down  her 
hands  on  either  side,  lifted  herself  from  her  low  chair, 
and  went  over  to  the  piano.  '  What  are  the  words  ?  Oh, 
I  can  see.  Fire  away,  then,  and  I  '11  see  what  I  can 

make  of  it. 

Pack  clouds  away,  and  welcome  day — 

With  night  we'll  banish  sor-row. 
Funny     words,     dear !       Where     did     you     get     hold     of 


64  HOPE'S   FIRST   VENTURE. 

them?  It's  not  bad,  you  know — not  half  bad — what  I 
call  graceful.  Let's  try  again,  and  go  on  to  the  next 
verse.' 

This  time  she  drew  herself  up  and  sang  with  careful 
attention.  The  full,  rich  tones  of  her  voice  flooded  the 
room,  and  Hope  thrilled  with  delight  at  the  sound  of  her 
own  creation.  Never — no,  never — had  she  imagined  that 
it  could  be  so  charming ;  and  the  last  verse  was  the 
prettiest  of  all.  Surely  if  Miss  Caldecott  liked  the 
beginning,  she  would  be  enraptured  with  the  end! 

But,  alas !  at  the  conclusion  of  the  second  verse  Miss 
Caldecott  crossed  the  room  and  threw  herself  on  the  sofa, 
with  a  resounding  yawn. 

'  Thanks  awfully,  dear.  How  clever  of  you !  It  really 
is  sweet.  Doesn't  quite  suit  my  voice,  though,  does  HI 
And  I  don't  like  those  accidentals.  They  are  tricky,  and 
I  'm  such  a  careless  creature.  Where  did  you  pick  up 
the  words?  I  don't  know  the  author,  but  you  can  tell 
him  from  me  that  he  can't  write  songs.  Not  at  all 
catchy  words.  He  '11  have  to  do  better  than  that.  Don't 
sit  perched  up  there  any  more,  dear;  you  look  so  uncom- 
fortable. There'll  be  some  other  people  coming  presently, 
and  we  '11  have  tea.  I  bought  some  lovely  cakes  from 
Buzzard's.  Always  make  a  bit  of  a  splash  on  my  at-home 
afternoons,  you  know,  for  it 's  the  only  entertaining  I  do. 
I'm  in  digs  here,  and  very  bad  they  are,  too.  But  what 
can  one  do?  They  don't  send  for  me  at  the  Albert  Hall, 
dear.  It's  a  shame,  for  I  could  do  ever  so  much  better 
than  some  of  those  old,  worn-out  things  who  only  trade 


HOPE'S    FIRST   VENTURE.  65 

on  a  name.  My  voice  is  fresh,  and  a  jolly  good  one,  too, 
though  I  say  it  myself.  Where  are  you  living,  dear?  In 
this  neighbourhood?' 

Philippa  replied.  Hope  was  too  disappointed,  too  cast 
down,  to  be  able  to  speak.  Miss  Caldecott  had  seemed 
so  pleased;  the  song  had  sounded  so  charming  from  her 
lips.  At  one  minute  acceptance  had  seemed  certain ;  at  the 
next  the  subject  was  waved  aside,  and  apparently  dis- 
missed from  consideration.  She  pressed  her  lips  together 
and  stared  at  the  mantelpiece,  with  its  bank  of  chrys- 
anthemums in  cream- jars,  its  photographs  of  becurled 
beauties.  Philippa  was  talking  about  the  flat,  and  removal 
expenses  generally,  and  Miss  Caldecott  was  lavishing  floods 
of  sympathy  upon  her,  and  abuse  upon  those  who  had 
disappointed  or  thwarted  her  plans. 

'  Wretched,  good-for-nothing  things,  the  pack  of  them ! 
But  you  are  so  near  Maple's.  Why  don't  you  go  to 
Maple  and  let  him  do  the  whole  thing?  Expense! 
Bills!  Oh,  bother  bills!  You  can  let  them  run,  you 
know.  /  do !  If  I  want  a  thing  I  get  it,  and  think 
about  the  bill  afterwards.  Do  you  like  this  tea-gown?  I 
bought  it  at  the  autumn  sales.  Such  a  bargain!  I  have 
to  spend  a  fortune  in  clothes.  What  would  you  advise 
me  to  get  for  this  winter,  for  really  swell  affairs,  you 
know?  I  go  to  a  good  many  private  receptions.  I  got 
some  patterns  this  morning.  I  look  so  huge  in  white  1 
What  would  you  think  of  yellow — eh?  Blue  is  so 
ordinary.' 

'Really,   I— really,   I  don't  know.'    Philippa  thought  it 

Genius.  E 


66  HOPE'S   FIRST   VENTURE. 

was  better  to  laugh  outright  than  in  a  covert  manner, 
so  she  laughed  as  she  spoke,  and  Miss  Caldecott  joined 
in  the  strain  with  the  greatest  good-humour. 

'  I  'm  sure  you  have  good  taste,  dear ;  you  look  so 
stylish.  I  never  wear  black  myself;  it  makes  me  doleful. 
I  do  get  doleful  sometimes,  though  you  wouldn't  think 
it.  I  live  all  alone,  and  sometimes  business  gets  so  slack. 
I  get  plenty  of  suburban  work,  but  I  don't  come  to 
the  front  somehow.  Can't  think  why.  My  voice  is  far 
better  than  that  Marah  Bryce's,  whom  they  all  rave  about 
nowadays.  Have  you  heard  her  lately?' 

Philippa  felt  relieved  to  be  able  to  reply  in  the 
negative,  and  Miss  Caldecott  enlarged  at  great  length  on 
the  personal  deformities,  mental  blemishes,  and  vocal 
limitations  of  her  rival,  even  condescending  to  imitate 
her  rendering  of  a  favourite  song. 

'  High-flown  rubbish,  I  call  it !  Something  like  that 
song  of  yours,'  she  said  blandly,  turning  to  Hope.  'You 
might  offer  it  to  her.  Far  more  her  style  than  mine. 
Don't  you  say  I  sent  you,  though.' 

'Thank  you,'  said  Hope  softly.  'I  think  I  should 
hardly  like  to  venture.  I  don't  know  her  at  all,  so  it's 
quite  different.  You  knew  our  name  at  least,  and  I 
thought — I  hoped' 

Despite  herself,  Hope's  voice  broke  with  a  little  quiver 
of  disappointment,  for  she  had  counted  so  much  on  this 
woman's  help;  and  if  she  refused,  what  could  be  expected 
from  a  stranger  on  whom  she  had  no  possible  claim  for 
sympathy?  Her  face  looked  so  drawn  and  pale  that 


HOPE'S   FIRST   VENTURE.  67 

Miss  Caldecott's  good  nature  could  not  look  at  it 
unmoved. 

'What's  the  matter,  dear?  Disappointed?  Hateful  of 
me,  isn't  it?  But  I  couldn't  sing  that  song  even  to  please 
you.  I'll  tell  you  what  we  will  do,  though;  you  shall 
write  another  especially  for  me.  Mezzo-soprano,  you  know ; 
I  don't  mind  a  G  now  and  then,  but  don't  let  me  have 
them  too  often.  And  be  sure  to  give  me  a  catchy  refrain 
— something  the  people  want  to  move  their  feet  to  at  the 
end  of  the  second  verse — see?  Then  the  words  must  be 
domestic.  I  want  a  song  badly,  to  sing  down  Clapham 
way  and  places  like  that,  for  charities  and  subscription 
concerts.  Let  me  see — something  about  children,  I  think. 
Nothing  fetches  them  like  children !  First  verses,  major, 
"  Happily  homeward  the  children  go ; "  and  about  their 
little  troubles,  you  know,  and  their  little  fears,  little 
smiles,  and  little  tears.  There  !  that 's  rhyme.  I  believe 
I  could  write  it  myself.  Then  comes  the  refrain — a  little 
swing  to  it,  a  little  lilt — the  same  words  for  the  first 
two  verses.  Oh,  you  know  the  kind  of  thing !  Something 
to  make  the  mothers  cry,  and  the  papas  rush  off  to 
buy  the  song  next  morning.  Nothing  draws  so  well  as 
children.  And  you  might  change  to  the  minor  key  at 
the  third  verse,  and  point  a  moral :  we  are  all  children, 
life's  a  journey,  and  we  shall  grow  tired,  too,  and  fall 
asleep  at  the  end  of  our  day.  There!  Never  say  I 
didn't  give  you  an  idea.  You  write  that  for  me,  and 
we  '11  make  a  fortune  out  of  it.' 

'Thank  you.     Oh,  how  kind  you  are!     I  see  it  exactly. 


68  HOPE'S  FIRST  VEXTUIIE. 

I'll  try  my  very  best.     It  is   so   very,   very  good  of  you 

to  give  me  the  chance ! ' 

Miss    Caldecott    yawned    wearily.     '  So    close,    isn't    it  ? ' 

she  said.     'I  hate  this  muggy  weather.     Some  people  say 

it 's   good    for    the    complexion,    but    I    don't    believe    it. 

I    use   that   new   American   powder.     Have   you   tried   it? 

There's  the  bell!     I  expect  it  is  the  Elliotts.     They  said 

they  were  coming.' 

c  Then  perhaps  we  ought  to "We  have  stayed  a  long 

time  already,'  said  Philippa,  rising.     'Thank  you  so  very 

much  for  seeing  us  at  all.' 

'Oh,  won't  you  wait  for  tea?  Good-bye,  dear,'  cried 
Miss  Caldecott  all  in  one  breath,  and  without  waiting  for 

a  reply  to  her  question;  and  the  sisters  went  out  into 
the  narrow  passage,  to  squeeze  their  way  past  three  tall, 
smartly  dressed  girls  who  were  engaged  in  arranging  their 
veils  and  pulling  out  their  fringes  before  the  little  strip 
of  mirror  in  the  hat-stand.  They  walked  down  the  street 
in  silence,  turned  the  corner,  and  exchanged  bright,  amused 
glances. 

'  Our  first  introduction  into  professional  circles !  How 
very,  very  funny  she  was !  How  many  times  did  she 
call  us  "dear,"  I  wonder?  Not  very  formidable,  was 
she?' 

'  But,  oh,  what  a  lovely  voice !  So  rich  and  full !  I 
suppose  it  is  because  she  has  not  had  a  thorough  musical 
education  that  she  hasn't  come  to  the  front,  and  because 

she  isn't  quite — quite But  it  is  a  shame  to  criticise,' 

cried   loyal   Hope.     '  How   kind   she   was !     How   perfectly 


HOPE'S    FIRST    VENTURE.  69 

sweet  of  her  to  ask  me  to  write  that  song !  Phil,  Phil, 
don't  you  think  I  am  fortunate?  Don't  you  think  it's 
a  good  beginning?  I  have  an  idea  for  the  song  already, 
and  she  is  almost  sure  to  take  it;  it  is  as  good  as  a 
commission.' 

Philippa  looked  at  the  shining  eyes,  and  could  not 
endure  to  breathe  discouragement;  but  in  her  heart  of 
hearts  she  reflected  that  she  should  be  sorry  indeed  to 
place  any  reliance  upon  the  promises  of  Miss  Minnie 
Caldecott. 


70 


CHAPTER    VIL 

A    PRIVATE    READING. 

j]HEO  was  pressed  into  the  service  to  write  the 
words  of  the  song  for  Miss  Caldecott,  and 
composed  a  graceful  little  ditty  which  was 
sufficiently  touching  even  to  the  spinster  mind, 
and  might  safely  be  trusted  to  melt  the  hearts  of  parents 
«in  the  front  rows.'  The  task  kept  her  happy  and 
occupied  while  waiting  for  the  answer  to  her  letter,  and 
Mr  Hammond  was  both  prompt  and  kind  in  his  reply. 

'I  shall  be  happy  to  give  what  help  I  can  to  your 
father's  daughter,'  he  wrote.  'He  always  appeared  to  me 
to  have  a  very  special  gift,  and  I  regretted  that  he  did 
not  cultivate  it  to  the  full.  I  hope  that  you  have 
inherited  his  powers,  but  at  the  same  time  I  feel  it  my 
duty  to  beg  you  to  earnestly  consider  the  matter  before 
deciding  on  your  life's  work.  Many  young  people  seem 
to  imagine  that  they  can  "take  up  literature"  as  they 
would  typewriting  or  clerical  work,  which  is  a  vast 
mistake,  and  it  would  be  cruel  to  encourage  you  unless 
you  possess  the  inherent  qualifications.  Would  it  not  be 
better  for  the  aiding  of  my  judgment  if,  before  coming 
to  see  me,  you  forwarded  some  short  MS.  for  my 
perusal  1  The  time  at  my  disposal  is  limited,  but  I  will 


A   PRIVATE    READING.  71 

contrive  to  read  anything  you  send  before,  say,  Monday 
next,  when  I  shall  be  pleased  to  see  you  at  any  time 
that  may  be  convenient  between  eleven  and  one.' 

The  letter  was  read  aloud  at  the  breakfast-table,  and 
the  audience  commented  on  it  with  the  candour  which 
distinguishes  family  conclaves. 

'  Very  sensible !  Short  and  to  the  point.  How  can 
he  tell  what  sort  of  rubbish  you  write  1 '  said  Steve. 

'Hope  you  notice  the  dash  under  the  "short"!  No 
chance  for  your  novel,  my  dear.  He  doesn't  see  himself 
sitting  down  to  read  hundreds  of  pages  of  your  appalling 
fist.  Grows  more  like  lattice-work  every  day ! '  Philippa 
cried  severely. 

'  I  can  just  imagine  what  he  is  like !  A  proper  little 
person,  with  a  shiny  bald  head.  Fancy  writing  love- 
scenes  for  his  inspection  !  My  hat ! '  and  Madge  lengthened 
her  chin  in  an  expressive  grimace. 

'The  worst  of  it  is,  I  don't  know  what  to  send.  I 
have  nothing  short  that 's  good  enough.  It  ought  to  be 
striking,  arresting,  original.  I — I  want  an  idea,'  cried 
poor  Theo,  staring  frantically  at  the  coffee-cups,  and 
wrinkling  her  brow  until  she  looked  ten  years  older  on 
the  spot.  'It's  finding  a  subject  that  is  the  hardest 
part.  I  love  the  writing  when  I  'm  once  well  started. 
I  can't  possibly  send  anything  before  next  week.' 

'Don't  try.  Take  your  time,  and  do  your  very  best 
Send  a  letter  to  say  you  will  forward  a  MS.  in  the 
course  of  the  next  few  weeks.  It's  important  that  you 
should  send  your  best  work,  and  you  can't  write  happily 


72  A    PRIVATE    READING. 

with  a  feeling  of  hurry.  It  must  be  a  story,  of  course, 
not  an  article.' 

'  Mind  you  have  a  nice  hero :  six  feet  high — broad 
shoulders — big  moustache ' 

'No,  no;  clean  shaven — clean  shaven,  with  a  firm, 
determined  chin;  big  feet  and  hands,  quick-tempered, 
but  too  sweet  for  anything  to  the  girl  he  loves.' 

'Make  her  slim  and  willowy,  with  gray  eyes;  rather 
wistful-looking,  not  exactly  pretty,  but  with  "a  way  with 
her "  that  simply  mows  'em  down ! ' 

1  Give  her  some  spirit,  mind ! '  cried  Madge  once  more. 
'I  hate  your  mawkish  heroines — sort  of  creature  you 
would  call  "The  Maiden."  Don't  caU  her  "The  Maiden," 
Theo,  if  you  wish  me  to  buy  a  copy;  and  whatever  you 
do,  I  pray  and  beseech  you,  don't  write  in  the  present 
tense :  "I  am  leaning  against  a  stile ;  the  roses  are 
falling  in  heavy  clusters  by  my  side ;  the  rays  of  the  sun 
are  pouring  on  my  uncovered  head  and  turning  to  gold 
the  wayward  curls  which  refuse  to  lie  straight  despite  all 
my  efforts."  Don't  you  know  the  kind  of  thing  ?  I  feel 
inclined  to  throw  a  book  in  the  fire  when  it  begins  like 
that.  Don't  let  your  heroine  have  "wayward  curls,"  Theo. 
Don't  let  her  have  "little  tendrils  wandering  over  her 
brow."  Don't  say  in  every  chapter  that  "she  had  never 
looked  more  lovely;"  and  for  goodness'  sake  don't  let  the 
husband  and  wife  behave  like  idiots,  and  quarrel  all  the 
time,  though  they  are  really  expiring  of  love  ! ' 

'  "Well,  really !  Any  more  instructions  ?  It 's  a  pity 
you  don't  write  the  whole  thing  while  you  are  about 


A    PRIVATE   READING.  73 

it,'  said  Theo  testily  as  she  pushed  her  chair  from  the 
table. 

The  family  had  grown  to  dread  the  times  when  Theo 
was  settling  on  a  plot  for  a  new  story.  She  was  so 
restless;  she  wandered  about  in  such  an  aimless  manner; 
she  looked  so  thoroughly  worried  and  unhappy.  Some- 
times the  girls  would  try  to  help  her  with  suggestions, 
and  then  she  would  listen  with  a  forbearing  smile,  and 
say,  c  Oh,  thank  you !  Yes,  it 's  very  good.  I  should 
think  a  capital  story  might  be  made  out  of  it,  but 
somehow  it  doesn't  appeal  to  me.' 

At  other  times,  when  they  were  never  thinking  of 
helping,  and  were  engaged  in  what  seemed  the  most 
ordinary  conversation,  Theo  would  suddenly  clap  her 
hands  and  cry,  '  Oh,  that  will  do !  Good !  Now  I  've 
got  it ! '  and  rush  excitedly  from  the  room,  leaving  her 
sisters  to  discuss  what  in  the  world  they  had  said  that 
could  possibly  suggest  a  romance.  Verily,  an  author  in 
the  household  was  a  difficult  person  with  whom  to  deal ! 

For  the  next  few  days  Theo  sat  alone  in  her  room 
making  futile  efforts  at  a  beginning,  going  out  for  long 
walks  along  the  crowded  streets,  or  sitting  shivering  on  the 
seats  in  the  Park.  In  deference  to  her  condition,  Hope 
kept  away  from  the  piano  while  she  was  at  home;  but 
no  sooner  was  the  door  closed  behind  her  than  she  flew 
to  try  the  effect  of  the  new  song,  and  to  alter  and 
re-alter  the  more  troublesome  bars.  She  must  practise, 
too,  for  with  the  hope  of  public  work  before  her  it 
would  never  do  to  lose  execution  and  flexibility  of  finger. 


74  A   PRIVATE   READING. 

Already  she  was  making  arrangements  for  lessons  in 
harmony,  and  her  time  seemed  filling  up. 

In  the  energy  which  distinguishes  all  beginnings,  Hope 
practised  scales  and  exercises  for  a  good  three  hours  one 
Saturday  afternoon,  and  towards  the  end  of  the  time  was 
much  exercised  to  account  for  the  meaning  of  a  thumping 
noise  that  seemed  to  rise  from  the  ground  beneath  her 
feet.  She  stopped  playing;  the  noise  stopped  also.  She 
began  again;  the  noise  was  repeated.  Philippa,  summoned 
to  decide  whether  or  no  they  were  the  proud  possessors 
of  a  unique  sort  of  echo,  immediately  arrived  at  a  more 
prosaic  explanation. 

'It's  some  one  knocking  from  underneath.  It  must 
be  the  Hermit,  that  bachelor  creature  who  lives  just 
below.  He  wants  you  to  stop.' 

*  What  cheek ! '  cried  Hope.  She  was,  as  a  rule, 
discreet  and  punctilious  in  her  language,  but  there  are 
points  upon  which  the  meekest  among  us  are  keenly 
sensitive,  and  when  it  came  to  interference  with  her 
practising,  propriety  flew  to  the  winds.  'What  hateful 
cheek !  What  right  has  he  to  interfere  ?  Has  he  hired 
the  whole  building?  Does  he  think  we  are  going  to 
consult  him  about  what  we  do?  What  next,  indeed? 
I'll  try  chromatics  now,  and  see  how  he  will  like  them. 
Cheek  !  Abominable  cheek  1 ' 

She  went  to  work  more  vigorously  than  ever,  and 
Philippa  thought  it  prudent  to  refrain  from  interference, 
but  contented  herself  with  hurrying  preparations  for  tea; 
and  for  the  time  being  there  was  no  more  knocking. 


A   PRIVATE   READING.  75 

Presumably  the  chromatics  had  reduced  the  listener  to  a 
condition  of  helpless  despair. 

On  the  third  evening  Theo  made  her  appearance 
wearing  her  best  fichu,  and  with  a  face  wreathed  in 
smiles.  '  I  've  got  it ! '  she  announced ;  and  there  was  no 
need  to  ask  to  what  she  referred.  The  tension  was  over 
for  the  time  being,  and  the  young  author  worked  up  her 
subject  with  the  usual  enjoyment.  When  the  story  was 
finished  the  girls  begged  for  a  private  reading;  a  request 
against  which,  as  a  rule,  the  author  steadily  set  her  face, 
so  that,  as  usual,  the  first  response  was  a  refusal 

'I  can't.  It  is  too  cold-blooded.  The  members  of  one's 
own  family  are  too  painfully  critical.  I  'd  rather  face  a 
dozen  editors  than  you  three  girls.' 

'Very  unkind  of  you,  then;  that's  all  I  have  to  say,' 
said  Philippa  severely.  'You  know  how  interested  we 
are ;  and  if  we  are  critical,  surely  it 's  better  to  discuss 
faults  with  us  than  to  let  them  go  unconnected.  This  is  a 
special  story,  and  in  consideration  of  our  anxiety ' 

'Oh,  well!'  said  Theo  unwillingly,  'I'll  read  it  if  you 
like.  Get  your  sewing,  and  don't  stare  at  me  all  the 
time.  It's  quite  short.  You  won't  like  it,  I  expect  Let 
me  sit  near  the  lamp.' 

She  was  evidently  nervous,  and  her  voice  was  decidedly 
shaky  for  the  first  few  pages;  but  after  that  she  forgot 
herself,  and  read  with  expression  and  power.  If  one  of 
the  girls  moved,  she  looked  up  with  a  frown;  and  when 
Madge  groaned  and  clasped  her  hands  over  her  heart  at 
a  particularly  touching  part  of  the  love-story,  she  stopped 


76  A    PRIVATE    READING. 

short  and  fixed  her  with  a  basilisk  glare.  It  was  a  story 
of  a  truly  modern  type,  which,  so  to  speak,  began  at 
the  end  and  worked  slowly  but  surely  back  to  the 
beginning.  It  was  by  no  means  certain,  too,  what  the 
heroine  did,  or  why  she  did  it ;  and  if  one  had  been 
sceptically  minded,  one  would  have  doubted  whether  the 
author  knew  herself.  Hope  was  puzzled,  Madge  engrossed 
and  curious;  Philippa  was  frankly  bored.  Her  own 
nature  was  straightforward  and  outspoken,  and  she  had 
no  patience  with  what  seemed  to  be  wilful  obtuseness. 
Her  attention  waned  as  a  Martha-like  anxiety  seized  her 
in  its  grip;  her  eyes  wandered  to  the  clock,  and  her  brow 
grew  furrowed.  Alas  for  the  trials  of  the  author  in  the 
household !  At  the  very  moment  when  Theo  was  pre- 
paring to  deliver  the  crucial  sentence  on  which  hung  the 
whole  construction  of  the  plot — in  that  thrilling  moment 
wherein  she  paused  and  drew  breath,  the  better  to  deliver 
it  with  due  emphasis  and  dramatic  effect — an  anxious 
voice  claimed  precedence  and  cried  loudly : 

'Hope!  It's  after  five.  Did  you  remember  to  order 
the  fish?' 

It  was  too  much  for  flesh  and  blood  to  endure.  Up 
bounced  Theo;  down  dashed  the  MS.  on  the  table;  bang 
went  the  door  after  her  departing  figure  as  she  fled  to 
her  bedroom  for  refuge,  while  the  two  younger  sisters 
stared  across  the  room  with  eyes  large  with  reproach. 

'Phil,  how  could  you?  How  cruel!  At  the  most 
exciting  point !  How  could  you  do  it  ?' 

'  I  'm    sorry,'  said   Philippa ;    and   she    really   looked   it. 


A    PRIVATE    READING.  77 

'I  didn't  mean  to  vex  her;  but  Steve  will  be  home  in 
less  than  an  hour,  and  there  is  only  cold  meat.  I  was 
so  anxious  about  the  fish.  Was  there  much  more  to 
read1?  You  might  finish  it,  and  then  we  can  tell  her 
what  we  think  of  it.  I  don't  like  it;  do  you?' 

'It's  clever,'  said  Madge  decidedly.  'It's  atrociously 
clever.  I'm  dying  to  know  how  it  ends.' 

But  when  the  MS.  was  finished  Madge's  curiosity 
remained  unsatisfied,  for  what  happened  to  the  heroine 
was  as  uncertain  as  everything  else  in  her  career. 

Theo  did  not  make  her  appearance  again  until  dinner 
was  on  the  table,  when  she  came  into  the  room  with  her 
head  in  the  air  and  her  lip  curled  in  disdain.  '  I  have 
to  live  with  these  poor,  grovelling  worms,  but  at  least 
I  need  not  associate  with  them ! '  So  said  her  expression 
as  plainly  as  words  could  speak.  She  had,  however, 
reckoned  without  her  sense  of  humour,  which,  fortunately 
for  her  readers,  was  particularly  acute ;  and  no  sooner 
was  the  cover  removed  from  the  belated  fish  than  her 
lips  began  to  twitch  and  her  eyes  to  twinkle.  Her 
cheeks  grew  red,  her  shoulders  heaved,  and  finally  out 
came  a  great  burst  of  laughter;  and  there  she  sat,  rocking 
to  and  fro  in  her  chair,  gasping  out  short,  strangled 
sentences,  with  her  hands  gripped  convulsively  over  her 
heart. 

'Oh— h!  Oh!  Have  you  ordered  the -fish ?  The  fish/ 
Oh,  a  prophet — is  not  a  prophet Fish  I  Oh  ! ' 

'  Might  make  a  joke  somehow  about  fish  and  Jonah, 
mightn't  you?'  said  Madge,  laughing,  scarcely  less 


78  A    PRIVATE    READING. 

heartily,  in  the  relief  of  seeing  Theo's  descent  from  her 
high  horse.  'I  can't  quite  see  how  it  is  to  be  done,  but 
it  has  possibilities.  I  finished  reading  your  story,  my 
dear,  and  I  feel  inclined  to  shake  you.  Why  couldn't 
you  make  a  happy  ending  while  you  were  about  it?' 

'  Too  commonplace ! '  said  the  author  scornfully.  *  You 
didn't  expect  me  to  make  them  "live  happily  ever  after," 
did  you?  I  haven't  quite  descended  to  that,  I  hope. 
Well,  what  do  you  think  of  it?' 

CI  don't  like  it  nearly  so  well  as  some  of  your  others. 
I  was  sorry  that  I  interrupted  you,  dear;  but  I  am 
afraid  it  was  because  I  didn't  like  it,'  confessed  Philippa 
honestly.  'I  loved  that  pretty  little  story  about  the 
poor  governess  and  the  rich  lover  who  came  home  from 
Australia.  Do  send  that  to  Mr  Hammond;  it  is  really 
very  much  nicer.' 

'  Nicer ! '  repeated  Theo.  '  Pretty  1 '  Her  voice  rang 
with  an  incredulous  disdain.  'I  want  something  strong 
and  powerful.  Hope,  what  do  you  think?  Don't  you 
like  it  either?' 

Hope  wrinkled  her  brows,  and  looked  puzzled  and 
distressed. 

1 1  can't  decide.  It 's  so  queer !  Does  it  really  mean 
that  she  marries  him  in  the  end,  or  that  she  refuses  him 
because  she  loves  him?  I  keep  thinking  and  thinking, 
and  it  is  so  confusing.' 

'It  is  the  most  maddening  story  I  ever  read,'  chimed 
in  Madge  decisively,  'for  it  tells  you  nothing  that  you 
want  to  know,  and  it  makes  you  want  to  know  so  much 


A    PRIVATE    READING.  79 

that  you  can  hardly  live  for  suspense.  You  ought  to 
hate  that  exasperating  girl,  and  yet  you  feel  that  life  is 
not  worth  living  without  her.  I  will  say  for  you,  iny 
dear,  that  you  have  achieved  the  most  worrying,  unsatis- 
factory muddle  I  can  possibly  imagine.  I  believe  I  shall 
dream  of  it  to-night.' 

'  Hurrah  ! '  cried  Theo — '  hurrah  ! '  and  she  tossed  her 
bread  in  the  air,  and  caught  it  again  with  a  wave  of 
triumph.  '  I  am  pleased !  I  won't  alter  a  single  word, 
but  will  send  it  off  to-night.  If  Hope  keeps  worrying 
about  it  while  she  is  awake,  and  Madge  dreams  of  it 
while  she  is  asleep,  I  don't  want  any  higher  praise. 
Never  mind  if  the  impression  is  painful ;  it  is  an  im- 
pression, and  that's  the  great  object  of  story -telling. 
Thank  you  both.  I'm  so  relieved.' 

'  Humph ! '  muttered  Philippa  shortly,  and  added  some- 
thing under  her  breath  about  'executions  making  a 
painful  impression,  if  you  come  to  that;'  which  the 
others  judiciously  affected  not  to  hear.  Phil  had  her 
own  grievance  by  this  time,  for  it  is  not  pleasant  to 
have  one's  criticisms  overlooked  as  beneath  consideration, 
and  to  be  calmly  ignored  by  artistic  striplings  as  a  good, 
commonplace  creature  who  cannot  be  expected  to  rise  to 
the  intellectual  level  of  her  companions.  Like  all  house- 
keepers, Philippa  experienced  moments  of  weariness  and 
revolt  against  the  everlasting  'trivial  round' — moments  of 
longing  for  a  more  interesting  life-work — and  at  such  times 
the  attitude  of  her  younger  sisters  made  her  lot  doubly 
hard.  She  struggled  against  the  temptation  to  say  some- 


80  A    PRIVATE    READING. 

thing  sharp  and  cutting,  and  Stephen,  watching  her  face 
from  the  other  end  of  the  table,  divined  the  hidden 
thoughts.  He  was  not  a  brilliant  nor,  to  outsiders,  a 
particularly  interesting  young  fellow,  but  just  one  of  those 
kindly,  single-hearted  men  who  are  born  to  make  some 
woman's  life  safe  and  happy;  and  as,  so  far,  Philippa 
was  his  lady-love,  he  could  not  rest  while  that  shadow 
was  on  her  brow.  Before  they  went  to  bed  he  made  an 
excuse  to  call  her  into  the  dining-room,  and  to  lead  the 
conversation  in  such  a  direction  as  would  invite  her  to 
give  him  her  confidence. 

'It  is  a  little  hard,  isn't  it?'  she  said  wistfully.  'You 
saw  how  Theo  ignored  my  criticism,  and  the  others  never 
even  seemed  to  notice.  I  work  for  them  all  day  long, 
keeping  the  house  comfortable  and  mending  their  things, 
to  set  them  free  for  their  own  work,  and  I  am  only 
despised  for  it.  It  makes  me  mad,  Steve;  and,  worse 
still,  it  makes  me  sad.' 

'  Poor  old  girl ! '  said  Stephen  softly.  He  leant  his 
elbows  on  the  mantelpiece  and  ruffled  his  hair  nervously. 
If  Philippa  had  been  his  wife  he  would  have  taken  her 
in  his  arms  and  spoken  all  that  was  in  his  heart,  but  a 
man  feels  an  embarrassment  in  '  letting  himself  go '  before 
a  sister  not  known  in  the  nearer  and  dearer  relationship. 
He  wanted  to  say  that  the  woman  who  makes  a  home 
has  achieved  a  greater  and  nobler  work  than  the  one  who 
produces  a  mere  book  or  picture,  and  that  in  his  eyes  at 
least  she  is.  first  and  best.  But  he  had  a  horror  of 
appearing  sentimental,  and  what  he  really  said  was : 


A    PRIVATE   READING.  81 

1  Horribly  bad  form !  Upsetting  young  cubs !  They  will 
get  a  little  of  the  starch  knocked  out  of  them  when  they 
find  what  a  poor  place  they  take  among  the  rest.' 

'  Oh,  I  don't  want  that !  I  want  them  to  succeed,' 
cried  Philippa  quickly;  and  then  she  began  to  laugh  and 
to  look  herself  once  more.  'We  are  like  a  nice,  prosaic 
old  father  and  mother,  Steve,  whose  children  are  so  alarm- 
ingly clever  that  we  are  half-afraid  of  them.  I  am  glad 
you  are  ordinary  like  myself.  You  wouldn't  be  half  such 
a  strength  to  me  if  you  were  a  genius  too.' 

'  Poor  old  girl ! '  said  Stephen  again,  and  let  his  hand 
drop  on  her  shoulder  with  a  helpful  grip.  He  did  not 
say  that  she  could  trust  him  to  stand  by  her  always,  and 
to  uphold  her  in  every  difficulty,  but  she  understood  the 
unspoken  promise,  and  went  to  bed  soothed  and  comforted. 

Theo's  MS.  was  posted  to  Mr  Hammond,  and  in  due 
course  an  answer  was  received  containing  no  reference  to 
the  story,  but  simply  naming  an  hour  for  the  proposed 
interview.  The  young  author  tried  to  read  signs  of  in- 
creased deference  and  respect  for  her  attainments  between 
the  lines,  but  even  her  optimism  failed  in  the  attempt 
She  grew  nervous  as  the  time  approached,  and  looked 
decidedly  pale  as  she  partook  of  a  strengthening  cup  of 
cocoa  before  dressing  for  the  important  expedition. 

'What  are  you  going  to  wear?'  Madge  inquired,  and 
the  author  curled  her  lip  in  disdain. 

'  My  dear,  how  ridiculous !  As  if  it  mattered  I  Do  you 
suppose  for  one  moment  that  it  will  make  any  difference 
to  Mr  Hammond  whether  I  look  charming  or  a  perfect 

Genius.  F 


82  A    PRIVATE   READING. 

fright?  Are  you  so  innocent  as  to  believe  that  he  would 
accept  a  story  that  he  didn't  like  from  the  greatest  beauty 
1  on  earth  1 ' 

'  Humph  ! '  said  Madge  reflectively.  '  The  heart  of  man 
is  desperately  wicked !  Not  that  story,  perhaps,  but  he 
would  be  much  more  willing  to  look  at  another.  Take 
my  advice  and  put  on  your  toque.  A  girl  never  loses 
anything  by  making  herself  attractive  when  dealing  with 
a  man.  I  have  never  met  any  editors,  but  I  have  reason 
to  suppose  that  they  are  not  different  from  the  rest  of 
mankind.' 

'  Nineteen,  and  country-bred !  Where  did  your  worldly 
wisdom  come  from,  my  dear?'  cried  Theo,  holding  up 
her  hands  in  astonishment.  But  she  wore  her  toque  all 
the  same,  and  took  off  her  veil  three  times  over  because 
one  little  curl  refused  to  lie  exactly  in  the  right  place. 
She  desired,  above  all  things,  to  arouse  Mr  Hammond's 
interest  and  sympathy. 

The  first  visit  to  a  publisher's  office !  It  Avas  a 
nervous  occasion,  and  Theo  walked  once,  twice,  thrice 
past  the  dreaded  door  before  summoning  courage  to  enter. 
A  board  on  the  wall  informed  her  that  she  must  mount 
to  the  third  story,  so  she  raised  her  skirts,  ascended  a 
narrow  and  not  too  clean  staircase,  and  stood  outside  a 
door  labelled  '  Office,'  wondering  what  to  do  next.  Neither 
knocker  nor  bell  was  to  be  seen ;  what,  then,  was  she  to 
do?  If  she  tapped  on  the  pane  and  waited  for  the  door 
to  be  opened,  she  would  appear  humble  and  amateurish ; 
if  she  entered  unannounced,  it  would  seem  bold  and  pre- 


A   PRIVATE   READING.  83 

sumptuous.  She  determined  to  err  rather  on  the  side  of 
overrating  her  own  importance,  hoping  thereby  to  prove 
the  truth  of  the  old  adage;  so,  turning  the  handle  with  a 
firm  hand,  she  walked  into  the  office,  and  found  herself 
confronted  by — a  small  and  shabby  boy,  perched  on  a 
high  stool ! 

All  this  fuss  about  a  child !  Theo's  indignation  lent 
an  added  haughtiness  to  her  manner  as  she  demanded  to 
see  the  editor  of  the  Casket,  and  Jack-in-office  stared  at 
her  curiously,  up  and  down,  down  and  up,  before  he 
replied.  His  expression  seemed  to  imply  that  he  had  seen 
her  like  before,  and  that  he  more  than  suspected  a  MS. 
tied  with  blue  ribbon  was  hidden  skilfully  beneath  her  coat 

'  Have  you  an  appointment  ? '  he  asked  severely ;  and 
though  Theo  affected  a  smile  of  superiority,  she  felt  an 
inward  conviction  that  without  that  same  appointment  she 
would  have  been  compelled  to  make  her  way  to  Mr  Ham- 
mond's presence  over  the  dead  body  of  his  vassal  As  it 
was,  he  carried  away  her  card,  and  came  back  almost 
immediately  to  escort  her  to  the  editor's  room,  where  he 
pointed  to  a  chair,  and  remarked  encouragingly  that  Mr 
Hammond  would  be  disengaged  in  a  few  minutes'  time. 

Theo  threw  a  glance  at  her  reflection  in  a  dusty  mirror, 
and  seated  herself  with  much  the  same  tremulous  sinking 
of  heart  as  that  with  which  she  was  accustomed  to  settle 
herself  in  the  dentist's  chair.  On  the  desk  before  her  lay 
a  litter  of  papers  and  proofs;  her  eye  fell  absently  on  the 
slip  nearest  to  herself,  and  lightened  into  eager  interest. 
Here  was  a  treat  indeed,  for  what  she  saw  was  the  next 


84  A   PRIVATE    READING. 

month's  instalment  of  a  powerful  serial  as  to  the  termina- 
tion of  which  the  sisters  had  frequently  and  hotly  debated. 
A  sentence  here,  a  sentence  there,  gave  the  needed  clues, 
and  she  smiled  with  mischievous  delight  at  the  advantage 
she  had  gained.  That  evening  she  would  lead  the  conver- 
sation to  the  Count  and  his  lady,  and  would  give  graphic 
prophecies  of  the  next  stage  in  their  adventures.  Even 
the  conversations  she  would  foretell,  so  that  when  the 
new  number  arrived  her  character  of  wizard  would  be 
fully  established.  The  interesting  prospect  dispelled  her 
nervousness,  and  she  was  smiling  to  herself  in  bright, 
natural  fashion  when  the  door  opened  and  Mr  Hammond 
appeared. 

The  editor  was  short  and  dark,  middle-aged,  and  care- 
lessly dressed ;  an  undignified  little  figure,  on  whom  the 
literary  aspirant  looked  with  instant  lightening  of  heart. 
'I'm  not  afraid  of  him,'  she  told  herself;  but  the  thought 
was  no  sooner  formed  than  revoked ;  for  Mr  Hammond 
spoke,  and  at  the  first  sound  of  his  voice  he  became 
aloof,  formidable  —  a  personage !  He  greeted  the  girl 
kindly  enough,  but  Theo  felt  strangely  humbled  as  she 
faced  him,  and  realised  with  painful  clearness  that  she 
was  a  girl,  a  tyro,  and  that  this  man  was  accustomed  to 
associate  with  the  master-minds  of  his  day.  Her  com- 
placency about  the  'worrying'  story  fell  from  her  like  a 
cloak,  and  she  awaited  his  verdict  with  sickening  suspense. 
'It  is  kind  of  you  to  see  me;  I  know  you  are  very 
busy.  I  sent  you  a  MS.,  as  you  asked  for  one.  I  suppose 
you — received  it?' 


A    PRIVATE    READING.  85 

'Yes.'  Mr  Hammond's  face  gave  no  clue  as  to  his 
opinion  of  the  masterpiece  in  question.  'I  am  pleased 
to  see  you,  and  to  give  you  any  help  in  my  power.  As 
I  said  in  my  note,  I  had  a  great  admiration  for  your 
father.  And  so  you  have  determined  to  settle  in  town 
and  enter  the  great  arena?' 

'Yes.  We  are  very  poor,  and  must  work  for  ourselves. 
I  have  been  writing  for  my  own  amusement  ever  since  I 
was  a  child,  and  if  it  were  possible  to  make  a  livelihood 
in  that  way  I  should  like  it  better  than  anything  else. 
I  would  rather  live  on  half  the  money  and  do  the  work 
I  love.' 

She  looked  appealingly  at  the  impassive  face,  but  no 
approval  of  her  prospective  renunciation  was  forthcoming. 
Mr  Hammond  merely  bent  his  head  in  grave  assent  and 
remarked : 

'Literature  is  a  good  crutch,  but  a  very  inefficient  staff. 
If  you  have  no  private  means,  and  are  seeking  for  a 
profession  which  is  to  be  your  entire  support,  you  would 
be  wiser  to  go  in  for  millinery.  Brain-work  is  uncertain, 
trying,  and  badly  paid.  Even  at  the  best  an  author's 
spell  of  popularity  is  short-lived  in  these  degenerate  days. 
A  new  writer  comes  along  with  a  fresh  trick,  and  the  old 
friend  is  promptly  forgotten  and  despised.  For  the  sake 
of  L.S.D.  he  is  compelled  to  write  twice  as  much  as  he 
ought  to  do,  and  so  dooms  himself  even  more  completely. 
In  millinery,  I  should  suppose,  experience  adds  to  capacity, 
and  the  demand  for  bonnets  is  a  happy  certainty.' 

This  time  it  was  the  editor  who  smiled  and  Theo  who 


86  A   PRIVATE   READING. 

was  unresponsive.  She  was  deeply  offended,  and  hope 
had  sunk  to  the  lowest  ebb.  Surely  if  Mr  Hammond 
had  found  any  merit  in  her  story  he  would  not  have 
humiliated  her  by  such  a  suggestion.  She  lowered  her 
eyes,  and  trifled  nervously  wiih  her  furs. 

'Then  you  think — after  reading  my  story — you  think  I 
have  no  chance?' 

'No;  I  don't  say  that.  That  depends  entirely 
upon ' 

•Yes?' 

Mr  Hammond  looked  at  her  with  a  kindly  pity. 
'  Upon  Iww  much  heart-breaking  you  can  stand  I '  he  said 
solemnly.  'The  apprenticeship  which  you  will  have  to 
serve  is  weeks,  months — it  may  be  even  years — of  steady, 
persistent,  unsuccessful  work ;  weary  disappointment  after 
weary  disappointment;  nothing  to  show  for  your  labour 
but  a  drawer  full  of  dog-eared  papers  which  nobody  will 
accept.  Kealise  what  it  means,  and  ask  yourself  if  you 
have  strength  to  bear  it;  if  you  have  sufficient  courage 
and  self-confidence  to  work  on  undaunted,  and  find  fresh 
inspiration  in  the  midst  of  defeat;.' 

He  looked  at  her  gravely,  and  Theo  lifted  her  head 
and  returned  the  look  with  flashing  eyes. 

'  If  I  had  the  prospect  of  success  in  the  end — yes !  a 
hundred  times,  yes!  I  am  not  a  child.  I  don't  expect 
to  make  a  name  in  a  day.  You  can  judge  better  than  I. 
Is  there  a  chance  for  me  if  I  work  hard?  Have  I  a  gift 
which  is  worth  cultivating?  You  promised  to  tell  me  the 
truth,  and  I  ask  it  of  you  now.' 


A   PRIVATE   READING.  87 

Then  for  the  first  time  Mr  Hammond  gave  a  hint  of 
encouragement.  He  smiled  whimsically,  as  at  an  amusing 
recollection,  and  studied  the  girl's  face  with  a  new 
interest. 

'Oh  yes;  you  have  the  faculty.  It  is  there;  there  is 
no  doubt  it  is  there.  I  'read  your  story,  and  with  all 
its  faults  it  escapes  the  two  unpardonable  crimes — it  is 
neither  dull  nor  commonplace.  I  don't  pretend  to  say 
that  you  will  be  a  great  writer,  but  when  you  have 
learned  your  trade  you  will  probably  be  able  to  place  your 
stories  with  little  difficulty.  Study  style ;  study  the  best 
masters ;  don't  think  any  time  wasted  that  is  given  to 
cultivating  pure,  forcible  English.  Study  the  people  around 
you,  and  write  of  what  you  know,  not  of  what  you  imagine. 
It  is  difficult  to  describe  an  emotion  which  one  has  never 
felt,  or  a  life  in  which  one  has  no  part.  Study  the 
magazines  also,  and  note  what  style  is  adopted  by  each, 
the  length  of  story  taken,  and  so  on.  These  things  are 
but  the  technicalities  of  the  profession,  but  the  mastery  of 
them  will  save  you  needless  disappointments.  When  a 
MS.  is  returned  for  the  sixth  time,  put  it  away  for  a 
month,  then  read  it  over  in  a  critical  spirit,  and  try  to 
discover  wherein  the  fault  lies.  A  little  altering  and 
rewriting  may  make  it  a  marketable  article.' 

<Y— es,'  said  Theo  faintly.  That  'sixth  time'  fell 
sadly  on  her  ear,  for  it  was  one  thing  to  assert  that  she 
did  not  expect  to  win  in  a  day,  and  quite  another  to 
hear  repeated  failure  predicted  in  that  cool,  unemotional 
fashion.  She  wondered  if  Mr  Hammond  would  refer  to 


88  A    PRIVATE    READING. 

her  story  in  any  more  definite  fashion,  and  seeing  that 
he  began  to  play  with  the  papers  on  his  desk,  as  if  to 
intimate  that  the  'five  minutes'  were  drawing  to  a  close, 
she  summoned  courage  to  put  a  direct  question. 

'And  the  MS.  that  I  sent  you,  Mr  Hammond — was  it 
pretty  good?  Do  you  think  it  suitable  for — er — for' 

Her  courage  failed  as  he  looked  up  in  grave  inquiry, 
and  she  dared  not  say  'the  Casket,'  as  she  had  intended; 
but  Mr  Hammond  finished  her  sentence,  as  if  he  had  not 
divined  the  unspoken  word. 

'Publication?  There  would  be  no  harm  in  trying.  I 
have  read  many  less  interesting  stories,  though  it  bears 
the  mark  of  inexperience.  Try  some  of  the  smaller  papers, 
like  the  Companion;  and,  if  necessary,  cut  it  down  to 
their  length.  I  have  it  here  in  this  drawer,  I  think. 
Yes — thank  you.  Pleased  to  have  seen  you.' 

Theo  rose  to  her  feet  a-sinart  with  mortification.  To 
be  recommended  to  the  Companion,  and  advised  to  cut 
down  her  masterpiece  for  the  approval  of  its  twopenny- 
halfpenny  editor,  was  humiliation  indeed  for  the  would- 
be  contributor  to  the  Casket.  She  followed  Mr  Hammond 
to  the  door,  and  held  out  her  hand  in  silence,  her  only 
desire  being  to  end  the  painful  interview  at  once.  But 
the  smitten  look  on  the  young  face,  the  sudden  collapse 
of  the  former  audacious  complacency,  were  too  marked  to 
pass  unnoticed.  The  editor  looked  at  her,  and  recalled  his 
own  youth,  when  a  kind  word  was  as  a  magic  wand,  and 
a  harsh  one  shut  the  door  so  hopelessly  against  a  cherished 
dream.  He  gave  her  hand  an  encouraging  pressure. 


A    PRIVATE    READING.  89 

'You  have  the  stuff  in  you;  you  have  the  stuff! 
Work  hard,  and  when  you  have  served  your  apprentice- 
ship come  back  to  me,  and  I'll  help  you  all  I  can.  Send 
me  one  MS.  in  three  months — one,  remember.  If  you 
send  more  I  sha'n't  read  them.  When  one  is  accepted 
you  will  have  reached  the  first  rung  of  the  ladder.  No, 
don't  thank  me !  I  will  accept  nothing  from  you,  nor 
from  any  one  else,  that  does  not  deserve  a  place  on  its 
own  merits.  Good-morning.' 

His  eyes  fell  on  the  roll  of  paper  in  her  hand,  and 
he  pointed  to  it  with  an  outstretched  finger. 

'Don't — er — don't  overdo  it,'  he  said  meaningly.  'Don't 
try  to  be  too  clever.' 

Then  the  door  shut,  and  Theo  groped  her  way  down 
the  stairs.  Her  cheeks  were  crimson ;  she  beat  the 
banisters  savagely  with  the  paper  roll.  Jack-in-office 
looked  out  of  his  open  door  and  grinned  to  himself  in 
amused  understanding.  He  had  seen  'them'  look  like 
that  before. 


90 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

VISITORS   ARRIVE. 

j|HEO'S  pride  made  her  represent  the  interview 
with  Mr  Hammond  in  its  most  favourable 
light  to  her  sisters.  He  was  satisfied  that 
she  had  the  makings  of  a  successful  author, 
was  anxious  to  consider  MSS.  from  time  to  time,  and 
had  suggested  a  likely  home  for  the  present  story.  The 
future,  in  fact,  was  assured,  but  a  period  of  probation 
must  necessarily  elapse  while  she  served  what  he  called 
her  'apprenticeship.'  The  girls  appeared  duly  impressed, 
and  Theo  felt  with  satisfaction  that  this  verdict  from  a 
high  authority  would  go  far  towards  procuring  for  her 
that  respect  and  admiration  which  it  is  so  difficult  to 
obtain  from  the  members  of  one's  own  family. 

'He  advises  me  to  read  a  great  deal,  to  study  the 
styles  of  the  best  masters,  and  to  write  only  what  I 
know.  I  think  that  is  rather  a  mistake.  If  one  possesses 
the  literary  instinct,  it  must  surely  be  possible  to  project 
one's  self,  as  it  were,  into  the  place  of  another,  and  so 
create  an  environment.  How  can  one  be  expected  to 
experience  personally  the  whole  gamut  of  human 
emotions?' 

'Cast    your    ruminating    eye    upon    me,    my    love,'    said 


VISITORS   ARRIVE.  91 

Madge  suavely,  pointing  with  a  thin  forefinger  to  herself. 
Behind  Theo's  back  she  had  been  occupied  in  rolling  her 
eyes  and  waving  her  hands  in  dramatic  illustration  of  the 
other's  high-flown  phrases,  so  that  Hope  had  rushed  to 
the  window  to  stare  at  the  chimney-pots,  while  Philippa 
had  dropped  her  needle  on  the  floor  and  grovelled  on  all- 
fours  in  order  to  redeem  it.  The  two  returned  to  their 
seats  with  expressions  of  preternatural  gravity,  while 
Madge  continued  to  declaim  her  offers  of  help. 

'  Study  my  character !  It  is  full  of  rich  and  unexpected 
qualities.  When  you  get  to  an  impasse,  ask  my  advice, 
and  I'll  tell  you  how  I  should  behave  in  the  circum- 
stances. Though  young  in  years  I  am  old  in  wisdom, 
and  you  would  go  far  before  you  discovered  a  better 
preceptor.' 

Theo  laughed  with  good-natured  disdain.  'Old  in 
experience,  indeed !  Poor  little  country  mouse,  what 
do  you  know  of  life?  You  have  never  even  been  in 
love.' 

'Oh,  haven't  I,  though?  Shows  how  little  you  know,' 
cried  Madge  darkly.  'I  have  never  been  out  of  it  since 
I  was  eight  years  old.  The  first  one  was  Tommy  Egerton. 
Do  you  remember  those  Egertons  who  took  The  Chase 
for  a  year?  Tommy  was  the  little  boy  who  wore  a 
fawn  coat  with  a  sealskin  collar,  and  dear  little  brown 
gaiters.  I  doted  on  him !  And  one  day  his  mother 
brought  him  to  call,  and  I  had  on  a  soiled  pinafore.  Oh, 
my  feelings !  I  consider  that  my  character  has  been 
warped  for  life  by  the  humiliation  I  endured  that  after- 


92  VISITORS    ARRIVE. 

noon.  Then  there  was  that  freckled  boy  who  used  to 
send  me  valentines : 

The  rose  is  red,  the  violet  blue, 
And  sugar 's  sweet,  and  so  are  you. 

Dear,  dear,  how  bashful  I  felt  the  first  time  I  met  him 
after  that  special  valentine  arrived  !  Then  there  was  the 
curate  who  spoke  through  his  "dose."  That  was  the  love 
that  was  born  of  pity !  Every  one  abused  him,  so  there 
arose  in  my  heart  that  almost  maternal  tenderness  and 
compassion  which  is  inseparable  from  the  love  of  every 
good  woman.  Ahem ! '  Madge  glanced  up  with  dancing 
eyes,  then  grew  grave  again  and  added  slowly,  'And 
now  there's  that  student  at  the  Slade  School.  I  asked 
him  some  questions  the  other  day,  and  he  was  so  kind ! 
He  has  a  lovely  chin.  I  expect  we  shall  be  great  friends. 
Look  at  Philippa  growing  pale  with  anxiety.' 

'It's  all  very  well,'  cried  Philippa  irritably.  'I  like 
young  men  myself,  and  wish  we  knew  many  more  than 
we  do,  but  we  must  be  careful.  I  hope  you  girls  will 
not  make  any  friends  until  you  have  had  time  to  judge 
whether  they  are  the  sort  of  people  we  ought  to  know. 
I  don't  want  to  preach.  I  hate  preaching.  It  is  very 
hard  to  be  in  the  position  when  it  falls  to  me  to  say  all 
the  disagreeable  things,  but,  situated  as  we  are,  we  can 
hardly  be  too  particular.  "We  want  to  make  friends  who 
will  be  a  help  to  us,  not  a  hindrance,  and  whose  influence 
can  never  be  hurtful  to  Barney  when  he  is  with  us.' 

The  mention   of  Barney  brought   a  smile  to  each   face, 


VISITORS    ARRIVE.  93 

followed  by  sighs  of  anxiety,  for  it  was  impossible  not  to 
realise  that  the  reckless,  high-spirited  boy  would  be  a 
care  as  well  as  a  pleasure.  Stephen  was  already  looking 
out  for  a  suitable  opening  in  the  City,  and,  with  Philippa's 
consent,  had  written  to  Mr  Loftus  to  ask  his  assistance 
in  the  search.  As  an  influential  shareholder  in  many 
large  concerns  it  was  likely  that  he  would  be  able  to  find 
a  situation,  and  his  kindness  of  heart  made  it  seem 
probable  that  he  would  put  himself  to  some  trouble  on 
the  boy's  behalf.  So  far  no  letter  had  been  received  in 
reply;  but  one  afternoon  about  five  o'clock  the  electric 
bell  sounded  through  the  little  flat,  and  Hope  ran  to  open 
the  door  to  save  trouble  to  the  one  small  servant  who 
was  wrestling  with  preparations  for  the  evening  meal. 
She  thought  it  might  possibly  be  the  postman  with  a 
letter  from  Miss  Caldecott  to  say  how  delighted  she  was 
with  the  new  song;  but  instead  she  found  herself  con- 
fronted by  two  life-size  fashion-plates  and,  hidden  away 
behind  flowing  skirts  and  ruffling  chiffons,  one  small  and 
dejected  lord  of  creation ! 

The  Loftus  trio !  Aunt  Loftus  come  to  pay  her  first 
call,  on  the  very  occasion  when  Mary  had  set  fire  to  the 
pretty  lamp-shade,  so  that  the  smell  of  burning  pervaded 
the  air,  and  a  naked  'chimney'  took  the  place  of  rosy 
frills;  when  Philippa  had  felt  too  tired  to  change  her 
morning-blouse,  and  naughty  Madge  had  taken  advantage 
of  an  idle  hour  to  wash  her  hair,  and  was  even  now 
stretched  before  the  fire  in  all  the  glory  of  a  dressing- 
gown  too  old  to  be  spoiled !  Hope  was  speechless  with 


94  VISITORS   ARRIVE. 

consternation,  but  with  the  drawing-room  distant  about 
two  yards  from  the  front  door  escape  was  hopeless,  and 
she  was  obliged  to  introduce  the  visitors  with  what 
composure  she  might. 

To  the  credit  of  their  breeding,  be  it  said,  Philippa 
and  Madge  rose  nobly  to  the  occasion,  and  welcomed  the 
unwelcome  guests  without  either  apology  or  confusion. 
Madge  smiled  sweetly  through  her  wisps  of  hair,  and 
discussed  the  weather  in  orthodox  fashion,  before  sailing 
out  of  the  room  to  clothe  herself  in  more  suitable  attire. 
Hope  was  proud  of  her  sisters,  and  unselfishly  annoyed 
that  she  should  appear  to  better  advantage  than  they ;  for 
she  had  dressed  early  after  her  return  from  a  wet  and 
tiring  walk.  She  met  her  cousin's  curious  gaze,  and  sat 
down  beside  her  with  a  friendly  smile. 

'  You  are  Avice.     I  have  so  often  wondered  about  you ! ' 

'You  are  Hope.  I  have  a  picture  of  you  as  a  little 
girl  It  is  so  pretty !  You  haven't  changed  a  bit.' 

'Oh,  oh,  you  shouldn't!  But  how  nice  of  you,  all 
the  same !  I  love  compliments,'  confessed  pretty  Hope, 
blushing  in  bewitching  fashion  between  gratification  and 
embarrassment.  She  looked  at  Avice  in  her  turn,  and 
decided  that  she  was  not  at  all  pretty.  But,  oh,  what 
clothes !  What  a  dream  of  a  hat !  What  distracting 
ruffles  and  laces  peeping  from  between  the  sables!  What 
twinkling  lights  of  diamond  brooches !  She  paused  for  a 
moment  to  do  obeisance  before  a  vision  of  herself  clad  in 
similar  garments,  then  continued,  with  a  smile,  'I  am  so 
glad  to  meet  youl  It  feels  lonely  to  be  absolutely  with- 


VISITORS   ARRIVE.  95 

out  friends  in  this  great  London,  and  so  far  we  know 
no  one  at  all.' 

'You  are  the  musical  one,  aren't  you?'  Avice  asked 
curiously.  'You  are  all  geniuses,  father  says,  and  deter- 
mined to  make  a  name  in  the  world.  Have  you  begun 
work?  What  have  you  done  so  far?' 

Hope  smiled  with  pardonable  satisfaction. 

'Well,  really,  I  think  we  have  made  a  good  start. 
Theo  has  interviewed  one  of  the  most  influential  editors 
in  Fleet  Street,  and  has  been  asked  to  send  MSS.  to  his 
paper.  Madge  has  sent  in  her  two  show-pictures  to  the 
Slade  School,  and  is  to  begin  regular  work  there  at  the 
half-term.  Meantime  she  is  studying  the  different  exhibi- 
tions and  collections,  and,  as  she  says,  picking  up  "quite 
valuable  hints "  from  old  masters.  She  is  so  amusing ! 
She  comes  home  every  evening  with  absurd  accounts  of 
her  adventures.  Most  people  would  find  it  rather  dull 
spending  a  whole  day  at  the  National  Gallery,  for 
instance,  but  Madge  has  the  faculty  of  finding  amusement 
wherever  she  goes,  and,  even  apart  from  the  pictures,  has 
a  dozen  little  histories  and  romances  to  recount.' 

'Y — es,'  assented  Avice  flatly.  She  herself  had  little 
sense  of  humour,  and  was  by  no  means  prepossessed  by 
the  plain,  elf-like  figure  of  her  youngest  cousin.  Hope, 
on  the  contrary,  was  graceful  and  charming,  and  had  been 
already  mentally  adopted  as  the  friend  of  the  future. 
'What  are  you  doing?'  she  asked,  with  an  interest  which 
could  not  fail  to  be  flattering,  and  Hope  moved  her  chair 
a  trifle  closer  with  an  impulse  of  girlish  confidence. 


96  VISITORS  ARRIVE. 

'Oh,  I  am  getting  on  so  well!  I  have  had  my  first 
lesson  in  harmony,  and  my  master  is  so  kind  and  encou- 
raging. He  seems  to  think  that  I  know  a  great  deal 
already,  and  his  work  is  so  interesting.  In  the  mornings 
I  study  and  practise,  and  in  the  afternoons  I  try  to  hear 
as  much  music  as  I  can.  I  go  to  cheap  seats  at  concerts 
and  recitals,  or  to  service  at  the  Abbey  or  St  Paul's. 
And  fancy !  I  have  had  a  commission  to  write  a  song 
for  a  professional — a  real  professional — a  lady  who  sings 
at  concerts  all  over  the  country.  You  may  know  her 
name — Miss  Minnie  Caldecott.' 

Yes,  Avice  knew  it  quite  well,  and  was  duly  impressed 
by  the  news.  She  passed  it  on  to  her  mother,  who  was 
sitting  silently  criticising  the  details  of  the  room,  while 
her  husband  talked  to  the  older  girls.  She  also  appeared 
impressed,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  hear  Hope  perform 
one  of  her  own  compositions.  Accordingly  the  piano  was 
opened,  and  the  girl  sang,  not  one  song,  but  two,  so 
that  her  relations  might  appreciate  the  variety  of  her 
style :  first  the  graceful  and  would-be  classical  setting  to 
the  words  which  Miss  Minnie  had  despised,  and  then 
the  more  taking,  if  less  high-class,  'domestic'  ditty.  Mrs 
Loftus  had  little  of  the  maternal  instinct  in  her  com- 
position, but  even  her  hard  face  softened  as  Hope's  fresh 
voice  sang  the  sweet,  simple  words.  Uncle  Loftus  cried 
'  Bravo !  bravo ! '  and  Avice  opened  wide  surprised  eyes. 
Mrs  Loftus  put  up  her  eyeglasses  and  examined  the 
singer  in  critical  fashion.  So  young;  so  pretty;  so 
exceptionally  gifted !  Really,  the  girl  would  be  a  useful 


VISITORS   ARRIVE.  97 

addition  to  an  evening's  entertainment  or  a  house-party 
in  the  country.  She  made  a  mental  note  that  Hope  was 
the  'presentable'  member  of  the  family,  then  rose  to  take 
her  departure,  murmuring  society  nothings  as  she  shook 
hands  with  Philippa,  and  checking  Avice's  farewell  words 
with  a  warning  frown. 

'  Oh  yes,  we  must  arrange  to  meet  again.  I  will  look 
over  our  list.  Don't  make  any  plans  to-day,  dear;  you 
are  so  overdone  with  engagements.' 

She  rustled  to  the  door,  followed  by  her  obedient  spouse, 
who  was  allowed  no  time  to  speak,  but  instead  delivered 
himself  of  a  succession  of  mysterious  nods  and  smiles, 
which  left  the  girls  in  a  state  of  amused  mystification. 
The  explanation  was,  however,  speedily  forthcoming,  for 
ten  minutes  had  not  elapsed  after  the  departure  of  the 
three  when  a  second  bell  sounded,  and  there  stood  Mr 
Loftus,  erect  and  self-confident,  a  man  on  his  own  account, 
with  no  overwhelming  feminine  element  to  keep  him  in 
the  background. 

'Back  again  like  a  bad  penny!'  he  cried  jocosely. 
'Just  a  word  to  say  to  you,  my  dears — a  word  in  your 
ears.  Put  the  ladies  into  the  carriage,  and  went  on  "to 
my  club."  He,  he!  Useful  things,  clubs!  About  that 
boy,  now.  Don't  approve  of  your  spending  capital — never 
approved  of  that,  you  know — but  pleased  to  help  you  all 
the  same.  Edgar's  children.  Yes !  Ought  to  give  you  a 
lift.  Fifteen— eh?  Young  to  leave  school,  but  can't  be 
helped,  I  suppose.  Was  speaking  to  Spence  the  other 
day — most  influential  man — thinks  he  might  take  him  in 

Genius.  •  Q 


98  VISITORS    ARRIVE. 

there.  Eh?  Insurance  office — huge  place — hundreds  of 
clerks.  Spence  is  manager.  Always  taking  in  new 
fellows.  What  do  you  think  of  that — eh1?' 

'Please  sit  down,  uncle/  said  Philippa,  greatly  puzzled 
by  the  short,  jerky  sentences;  and,  so  far  as  she  could 
judge  of  the  proposal,  thinking  about  as  badly  of  it  as 
it  was  possible  to  do.  'It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  re- 
member Barney,  and  we  are  most  anxious  to  find  him  an 
opening,  but  I  don't  know  that  insurance — and  such  a 
number  of  clerks,  too !  Would  not  a  boy  be  likely  to 
be  lost  among  them,  and  drudge  on  year  after  year 
without  promotion?' 

'  In  an  ordinary  way,  yes ;  but  this  would  be  different. 
I'm  on  the  Board,  you  see — on  the  Board — chairman  last 
year.  Spence  a  personal  friend.  Could  help  him  on  if 
he  stuck  to  his  work.  Don't  know  the  boy,  but  if  Spence 
took  a  fancy  to  him,  there  isn't  a  man  in  town  who  has 
more  in  his  power.  Peculiar  man,  Spence !  Difficult 
temper  —  autocratic ;  but  if  he  takes  a  fancy,  there 's 
nothing  he  won't  do.  Barney,  now — what  kind  of  a  boy 
is  Barney?' 

'All  kinds/  replied  Philippa,  smiling.  She  felt  per- 
fectly satisfied  that  Mr  Spence  would  take  a  fancy  to 
Barney,  but  whether  that  young  gentleman  would  'stick' 
to  his  work  was  another  and  a  very  different  question. 

'He  is  a  very  handsome  boy,  Uncle  Loftus,  and  full  of 
fun  and  mischief.  He  is  clever,  but  I'm  afraid  not  too 
industrious.  We  hope  that  he  will  settle  down  and 
realise  that  he  has  his  way  to  make ;  but  he  is  young, 


VISITORS    ARRIVE.  99 

as  you  say.  Mr  Spence  might  not  have  patience  with 
him.' 

'Oh,  Spence  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him  at 
first.  He  would  have  to  obey  the  head  of  his  department. 
Send  Stephen  to  me  to  talk  it  over.  Men  understand 
business;  girls,  you  know — pretty  girls  like  you — think 
only  of  bonnets.  That's  it,  Hope,  isn't  it?  Quite  right, 
too.  Get  a  becoming  one,  my  dear,  and  come  and  see 
me  in  it  when  it  is  bought.  Now  I  must  be  oft  Glad 
to  have  seen  you  all.  Pretty  little  nest  at  the  top  of 
the  tree !  Hope  it  may  be  prophetic.  Hard  on  my  legs, 
though.  Stiff  in  the  knees.  Not  so  young  as  I  was, 
my  dears — not  so  young  as  I  was.' 

He  went  toddling  out  of  the  door,  smiling  and 
chuckling  to  himself,  and  as  he  descended  the  staircase 
the  echo  of  disjointed  phrases  reached  the  girls'  ears: 
'  Top  of  the  tree !  Ha,  ha !  Not  so  young  as  I  was. 
Prophetic — eh?  Hope  it  is  prophetic.' 

'Poor  little  mannikin!'  said  Philippa  pitifully.  'I  feel 
like  a  mother  to  him.  He  daren't  even  be  kind  in  his 
wife's  presence,  he  is  so  kept  down.  How  I  do  detest  to 
see  women  snub  their  husbands  and  fathers!  When  I 
marry  I  intend  to  look  up  to  my  husband  and  think 
him  the  finest  man  in  the  world.  I'd  rather  be  ruled  by 
some  one  stronger  and  wiser  than  myself  than  have  it  all 
my  own  way.  My  husband  is  going  to  be  master  of  his 
own  house,  or  I'll  know  the  reason  why.' 

She  was  leaning  over  the  banisters  as  she  spoke,  listen- 
ing to  the  departing  footsteps  of  the  'mannikin'  as  he 


100  VISITORS    ARRIVE. 

trotted  along  the  stone  entrance-hall;  but  as  she  finished 
speaking  she  drew  back  with  a  gasp  of  dismay,  for  a 
cadaverous  countenance  was  raised  to  hers  from  the  land- 
ing immediately  beneath,  and  the  tenant  who  had  objected 
to  Hope's  practising  stood  for  a  moment  buttoning  his 
coat,  then  slowly  took  his  way  downstairs.  With  one 
bound,  as  it  seemed,  the  girls  were  back  in  their  own 
sitting-room,  confronting  each  other  with  horrified,  scarlet 
faces. 

'The  Hermit!' 

'  The  author  creature  who  writes  all  day  and  sits  up 
all  night.  Do  you  suppose  he  heard?' 

'  Heard !  My  dear,  he  has  ears  j  how  could  he  help  it  ? 
If  you  will  air  your  ideas  as  to  your  future  husband  on 
the  landing  of  public  buildings,  what  can  you  expect? 
Never  mind.  Perhaps  it's  just  as  well  that  you  should 
understand  each  other  from  the  first.' 

'Don't  be  vulgar,  Madge.  That  kind  of  joke  is  in  the 
worst  possible  taste.' 

'  Tologise !  My  vulgar  nature,  I  suppose.  Didn't  he 
stare?  He  looks  shockingly  ill.  I  should  say  his  nerves 
were  overstrained,  and  he  wouldn't  be  too  pleasant  a 
companion.  I  hope  he  won't  call.' 

'People  never  call  in  London,  child,  unless  they  have 
some  sort  of  introduction  or  a  mutual  friend.  Besides, 
the  porter  told  me  that  the  Hermit  is  quite  a  celebrity. 
Why  should  he  call  upon  us?  He  writes  articles  for  the 
reviews,  and  long,  learned  books  which  no  one  can  under- 
stand. I  will  never  try  to,  for  one.  I  hope  I  may 


VISITORS   ARRIVE.  101 

never,  never  see  his  face  again!'  cried  Philippa,  in  a 
sudden  outburst  of  passion,  for  it  was  really  most  trying 
to  discover  a  strange  man  playing  the  part  of  audience 
on  the  one  occasion  on  which  she  had  'let  herself  go.' 

Stephen  called  upon  Mr  Loftus  as  suggested,  was  taken 
to  interview  the  eccentric  Mr  Spence,  and  eventually 
decided  to  accept  the  offered  opening  for  Barney.  It  was 
not  exactly  the  position  which  he  would  have  chosen, 
but  beggars  cannot  be  choosers,  and  his  uncle's  influence, 
backed  by  a  personal  introduction  to  the  manager,  seemed 
to  hold  out  a  reasonable  chance  of  promotion.  At  the 
worst,  the  experience  would  give  the  boy  some  knowledge 
of  office  life,  and  prevent  his  running  wild  over  London, 
getting  into  fresh  mischief  with  every  hour,  as  his 
custom  was. 

The  half-term  arrived,  and  with  it  Mr  Barnard  himself. 
The  lad  drove  up  in  a  hansom,  and  smiled  patronisingly 
upon  the  sisters  assembled  to  welcome  him  in  the  bare 
entrance-hall.  He  was  nearly  as  tall  as  Philippa  herself, 
and  very  like  her  in  appearance,  though  his  sparkling  face 
lacked  as  yet  her  characteristic  strength  and  earnestness 
of  expression.  So  far,  indeed,  life  had  appeared  one  huge 
joke  to  Barney,  and  his  radiant  spirits  had  suffered  no 
eclipse.  He  allowed  himself  to  be  kissed  and  hugged  by 
one  sister  after  another,  and  was  then  escorted  up  the 
stone  staircase  with  all  the  honours  of  a  returned  hero, 
the  while  his  bright  eyes  roved  from  side  to  side  in 
search  of  adventure.  He  tested  the  banister,  calculated 
its  length  from  top  to  bottom,  and  offered  to  race  Madge 


102  VISITORS   ARRIVE. 

down  with  a  handicap  of  half  a  minute.  He  pointed  to 
the  bottles  of  fire-extinguishers  ranged  on  each  landing, 
and  cried  genially,  'We'll  start  an  alarm  of  fire  one 
night,  and  watch  the  Johnnies  rush  out  and  smash  'em  ! ' 
Then  seeing  the  words,  '  Do  not  knock  unless  absolutely 
necessary*  printed  on  a  card  nailed  to  the  'Hermit's'  door, 
he  lingered  behind  to  give  such  a  resounding  rat-tat-tat  to 
the  knocker  as  woke  the  echoes  to  life.  The  girls  scuttled 
upstairs  like  so  many  frightened  mice ;  but  what  was  the 
good  of  that?  They  could  not  hide  the  noise  of  their 
footsteps,  and  once  in  the  precincts  of  their  own  flat 
they  one  and  all  fell  upon  Barney,  covering  him  with 
reproaches.  How  could  he  ?  How  dared  he  ?  It  was 
rude,  ungentlemanly,  unfair  to  his  sisters.  He  must  never 
— no,  never — do  such  a  thing  again ! 

'Well,  scarcely  ever!'  cried  the  beaming  culprit.  'So 
this  is  the  rabbit-warren,  is  it?  What  a  rummy  little 
show !  When  will  the  feed  be  ready  ?  I  'm  dying  of 
hunger.  Hope  you've  slain  a  jolly  big  calf  while  you 
were  about  it.' 

When  the  'calf  appeared,  and  the  reunited  family 
seated  themselves  round  the  dining-room  table,  Barney 
wished  to  bet  some  one  'a  tanner'  that  without  leaving 
his  chair  he  could  ring  the  bell,  poke  the  fire,  pull  up 
the  blind,  and  put  a  plate  on  the  sideboard;  and  proceed- 
ing to  give  practical  illustration  of  his  words,  overbalanced 
himself,  grazed  his  head  against  a  corner  of  the  bookcase, 
and  made  an  ugly  stain  upon  the  wall-paper  with  the 
contents  of  his  overturned  plate. 


VISITORS   ARRIVE.  103 

'  Eeally,  Barney — really  !  That 's  not  at  all  amusing. 
I  don't  feel  in  the  least  inclined  to  laugh,'  protested 
Philippa  severely;  but  she  belied  the  truth  of  her  words 
by  smiling  lovingly  on  the  culprit  throughout  the  meal. 
It  was  easy  to  see  who  was  going  to  be  master  of  that 
flat! 


104 


CHAPTEK    IX. 

AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER. 

BARNEY'S    infectious   spirits   were   a   godsend   to 
his    sisters,    who,    truth    to    tell,    were    begin- 
ning to  experience  a   reaction  from   their  first 
elation,  and  to  realise  how  many  weary  rungs 
of    the    ladder    had   to    be    ascended    before    success   was 
gained.     Theo  felt  that  she  was  condescending  sadly  when 
she    sent    off    her    MS.    to    the    editor    of    a    threepenny 
magazine;    but    that    gentleman    evidently    differed    from 
her   opinion,   for   he    sent   it   back    again    with    admirable 
promptitude,   with    only    a    printed    rejection    by   way    of 
criticism.      Hope   received   no    answer   from    Miss    Minnie 
Caldecott,    and    Madge    found    herself  ranked    with    other 
new-comers    in    the    antique    room    at    the    Slade    School, 
and     treated     with     patronising     disdain     by     the     older 
pupils.      These     latter    worked     '  in    the    life,'    and     had 
merry    little    lunches    together    in    the    corridors,    while 
she    ate    sandwiches    in    the    dreary    cloak-room    in    the 
basement,     and    sadly    reflected    that    she    was    not    the 
genius   she    had    imagined.     Her    talent    lay    in   caricature 
and    bright    original    design,    and    pray    how    was    she    to 
have    a    chance    of   exhibiting    these    gifts    in    a    copy    of 
the  Venus  de  Milo?    The   probabilities  of   earning  money 


AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER.  105 

seemed  to  retreat  into  the  dim  distance,  and  poor  Philippa 
realised  as  much,  and  sighed  more  and  more  heavily 
over  the  weekly  bills. 

It  was  a  relief  to  all  to  listen  to  Barney's  merry 
voice,  and  to  sun  themselves  in  his  radiant  presence. 
The  account  of  his  luncheon  in  town  was  a  daily 
amusement;  for  he  had  strongly  objected  to  coming 
home  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  had  finally  been 
allowed  the  lordly  sum  of  eightpence  by  the  head 
of  the  exchequer.  . 

'It  is  twice  as  much  as  your  return  fare  in  the 
Tube,  so  I  calculate  that  would  be  about  the  cost  of 
your  lunch  here.  If  you  go  to  the  right  places,  Steve 
says,  you  can  get  quite  a  comfortable  meal  for  eight- 
pence —  a  plate  of  warm,  nourishing  soup,  or  a  cup  of 
chocolate  and  sandwiches.' 

So  spoke  Philippa  in  her  wisdom,  but  Barney  was 
too  much  of  a  schoolboy  to  condescend  to  warm  and 
nourishing  diet  while  sweetmeats  were  within  his  reach. 
On  a  chill  and  rainy  day  he  would  make  a  selection  of 
three  custard-tarts  and  a  bottle  of  lemonade,  or  a  cold 
mince-pie,  a  slice  of  plum-cake,  and  a  glass  of  milk ;  after 
which  exploit  he  would  return  home  in  the  best  of  health 
and  spirits,  to  eat  at  one  meal  as  much  as  his  four  sisters 
put  together. 

As  to  his  business  experiences,  Barney  was  curiously 
reticent,  but  he  pronounced  the  office  'not  bad  sport,' 
talked  of  the  heads  of  departments  by  their  Christian 
names,  alluded  to  the  manager  as  'Old  Wnxworks,'  and 


106  AN   ANONYMOUS   LETTER. 

was  so  uncomplaining  about  the  long  confinement  that 
Philippa  cherished  the  fondest  hopes  of  his  success.  The 
boy  had  settled  down  far  better  than  she  had  expected, 
and  if  he  were  a  trifle  uproarious  at  home,  it  was  not 
to  be  wondered  at.  Before  his  arrival  Hope  had  played 
favourite  classics  for  the  amusement  of  her  sisters  during 
the  evening,  but  Master  Barney  had  little  patience  with 
such  a  tame  performance.  He  preferred  to  hear  popular 
street  ditties,  coached  Hope  in  the  airs  in  a  loud,  cracked 
treble,  and  insisted  on  a  chorus,  as  often  as  not  throw- 
ing in  a  step-dance  by  way  of  improvement.  From  time 
to  time  one  of  his  sisters  would  offer  a  mild  protest: 
'  Don't,  Barney — don't ! '  '  Barney,  be  quiet ! '  Whereupon 
Barney  would  give  a  louder  stamp  than  before,  or,  by  way 
of  reply,  elegantly  wave  a  foot  over  the  head  of  the 
protester. 

On  one  of  these  convivial  occasions  there  sounded 
once  again  that  eloquent  echo  from  below;  but  the 
performer  was  happily  unconscious,  and  his  sisters,  rolling 
meaning  eyes,  exerted  every  device  to  divert  his  attention 
in  another  direction.  "Well  they  knew  that  if  Mr  Barney 
once  grasped  the  nature  of  the  message  his  energy  would 
increase  tenfold,  and  he  would  dance  until  he  dropped, 
if  only  to  prove  his  free  and  independent  spirit ! 

Then  one  evening  came  the  formal  opening  of  the 
war. 

At  an  unorthodox  hour  of  the  night  the  letter-box 
clanked,  and  an  undirected  note  fell  into  the  box. 
Philippa  read  it,  and  grew  pale  with  anger;  Madge 


AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER.  107 

read  it,  and  grew  flaming  red;  Hope  cried,  'Oh!  oh!' 
and  Theo  tossed  her  head  like  a  tragedy  queen.  The 
note  was  short  and  to  the  point;  it  bore  neither  address 
nor  signature : 

'If  the  occupants  of  flat  No.  10  would  have  the 
consideration  to  remember  the  existence  of  their  neigh- 
bours, it  would  add  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the  other 
dwellers  in  the  mansions.  Such  establishments  could  not 
continue  to  exist  if  rowdiness  and  horseplay  were  per- 
mitted without  protest.  It  is  sincerely  to  be  hoped  that 
the  matter  may  be  remedied  before  appeal  be  necessary 
to  those  in  authority.' 

'  Anonymous,  too !  As  if  we  did  not  know  perfectly 
well  who  wrote  it!'  Philippa  cried,  with  curling  lip. 
'  Cranky,  sallow-faced  wretch !  He  ought  to  live  in  a 
den,  and  not  among  ordinary  flesh-and-blood  mortals.  /'// 
write  an  answer!  I'll  settle  him!' 

'He  banged  on  the  ceiling  one  day  when  I  was 
practising,'  chimed  in  Hope,  with  smouldering  resentment. 
'It  isn't  as  if  I  were  a  schoolgirl  and  couldn't  play.' 

'Thinks  we  make  too  much  noise,  does  he?'  murmured 
Barney  thoughtfully.  'Sweet  innocent!  He  doesn't  know 
he  is  born.  Wait  a  bit  until  I  have  really  given  my 
mind  to  the  subject.' 

'  No,  no ;  none  of  that  now,  Barney !  If  we  live  in  a 
flat  we  are  bound  to  keep  within  bounds,'  interrupted 
Stephen  anxiously.  He  reviewed  the  past  fortnight,  and 
was  bound  to  acknowledge  that  the  writer  of  the  note 
had  some  just  ground  for  complaint.  '  I  am  afraid  we 


108  AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER. 

have  been  rather  noisy  since  you  arrived. — But  perhaps  you 
can  explain  in  your  reply,  Phil,  that  there  have  been — 
er — special  circumstances — er — not  likely  to  occur  again. 
Smooth  him  down.  Great  mistake  to  quarrel  with  one's 
neighbours.' 

Philippa  looked  her  brother  over,  her  head  erect,  her 
shoulders  squared  in  the  defiant  manner  he  had  learned 
to  know.  She  made  no  reply  in  words,  but  he  under- 
stood full  well  what  was  meant  by  that  look.  If  he 
were  prepared  to  give  in  meekly,  she  was  not ;  if  he 
would  not  fight  for  the  rights  of  the  family,  she  would 
do  it  for  him;  and  it  would  not  be  to-day  nor  to-morrow 
either  that  she  would  write  an  apology  in  response  to 
so  audacious  a  complaint. 

All  that  evening  Philippa  sat  with  pursed-up  lips, 
composing  and  revising  an  answer  which  should  be  at 
once  haughty,  sarcastic,  and  to  the  point;  and  no  sooner 
was  Stephen  safely  out  of  the  way  next  morning  than  it 
was  written,  submitted  to  Theo  for  professional  revision, 
and  safely  deposited  in  the  'Hermit's'  letter-box: 

'Miss  Charrington  is  in  receipt  of  an  anonymous  letter, 
the  source  of  which,  however,  she  is  at  no  loss  to 
decide.  She  agrees  with  the  writer  that  forbearance  and 
consideration  are  necessary  where  several  tenants  live 
beneath  the  same  roof,  but  she  would  impress  upon  his 
notice  that  such  consideration  should  be  mutual  and 
not  one-sided.  It  is  unreasonable  to  expect  a  large  and 
still  young  family' — ['Still  young!  he  won't  like  that — 
it  implies  that  he  is  so  old  himself!'] — 'to  live  in  a 


AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER.  109 

condition  of  absolute  inaction;  and  repeated  and  varied 
complaints' — ['That  means  the  rapping  on  the  ceiling'] 
— 'are  at  least  as  disagreeable  to  its  members  as  their 
musical  efforts  appear  to  be  to  their  neighbour.' 

'That  ought  to  settle  him  for  some  time  to  come,' 
cried  the  girls  complacently;  and  when  by  chance  they 
met  the  'Hermit'  on  the  stairs  they  stared  at  him 
beneath  haughtily  contracted  brows,  and  held  their  skirts 
well  to  the  side,  lest  by  chance  they  should  brush  against 
him  as  they  passed. 

November  was  half-way  through  when  a  second  letter 
arrived  to  introduce  a  little  excitement  into  the  daily 
routine.  It  bore  the  postmark  of  a  small  Norfolk  town- 
ship, on  the  borders  of  which  Mr  Loftus  had  his  shooting- 
box.  It  was  addressed  to  Hope,  and  was  of  an  import 
which  brought  a  flush  of  excitement  to  her  cheeks. 
Her  '  Ohs  ! '  and  '  Ahs  ! '  of  surprise  were  aggravatingly 
uninstructive,  and  in  the  end  Madge  took  forcible  pos- 
session of  the  sheet,  and  glancing  over  it  rapidly,  read 
out  the  sentences  in  slow,  sententious  accents: 

'My  DEAR  HOPE, — As  the  address  will  show,  we  are 
staying  in  Norfolk,  and  I  write  to  ask  if  you  would 
pay  us  a  visit  from  Monday  next  to  Tuesday  the 
30th.  We  expect  to  have  several  big  shoots  during  the 
week,  and  as  you  are  distinctly  the  moat  presentable  of 
the  family,  and  your  musical  abilities  can  be  usefully 
employed  in  providing  free  amusement  for  my  guests,  I 
think  you  will  be  quite  a  valuable  addition  to  our  house- 


110  AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER. 

party.  You  will  find  the  11.15  a  convenient  train,  and 
we  will  send  to  the  station  to  meet  you,  if  we  have 
no  better  use  for  the  carriages.' 

'Madge/'  cried  Hope,  aghast. 

'What  an  extraordinary  letter!'  gasped  Philippa,  too 
much  stunned  hy  surprise  to  protest.  'Give  it  to  me. 
Let  me  see.' 

Madge  handed  it  over,  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders 
and  a  slow,  whimsical  smile. 

'Oh,  well,'  she  admitted,  'that's  not  a  literal  render- 
ing. I  read  between  the  lines  and  found  the  true 
meaning.  Aunt  Loftus  is  all  politeness,  of  course.  "  You 
don't  look  strong — would  be  better  for  a  change.  Can 
leave  London  more  easily  than  your  sisters.  Be  sure  to 
bring  plenty  of  music."  But  my  reading  is  the  right 
one,  all  the  same.  Bah !  Sickening !  If  you  want  to 
be  mean,  be  mean,  and  don't  try  to  wrap  it  up  in 
the  form  of  philanthropy.  /  might  be  as  ill  as  /  liked, 
but  I  should  never  be  asked.  Your  face  is  your  fortune, 
Hope.  Make  the  most  of  it  before  you  grow  old  and 

«giy-' 

'I  won't  go.  I  shall  write  and  refuse,'  said  Hope 
quickly;  for  she  had  noticed  a  shadow  fall  across  Theo's 
face,  and  divined  the  reason  of  its  presence.  Theo  would 
not  grudge  her  a  pleasure,  but  from  a  professional  point  of 
view,  could  not  help  wishing  that  the  invitation  had  fallen 
to  her  own  share.  Life  at  a  shooting-box  would  be  a 
new  experience,  a  useful  background  for  future  stories; 


AN    ANONYMOUS   LETTER.  Ill 

and  the  guests  would  supply  the  young  author  with  the 
opportunity  of  valuahle  character -study.  Unfortunately 
Theo's  talent  was  not  of  value  to  a  hostess,  and  she  was 
conscious  that  her  chance  of  an  invitation  to  her  uncle's 
shooting-box  was  not  much  greater  than  that  of  Madge 
herself.  For  a  moment  she  was  silent,  battling  against 
a  host  of  conflicting  emotions ;  then  she  said  bravely : 

'You  must  go,  Hope;  it  is  your  duty.  You  may 
meet  people  who  will  take  an  interest  in  you  and  be 
able  to  help  you  on,  and  we  can't  afford  to  lose 
opportunities.  You  can  take  your  own  compositions,  and 
sing  them  whenever  you  have  a  chance  ;  it  will  be  quite 
an  advertisement  in  a  small  way.' 

'It  seems  mean  to  pay  a  visit  with  an  idea  of  making 
something  out  of  it,'  said  Hope,  with  a  sigh.  'That  is 
the  worst  of  being  poor.  The  money  question  seems 
eternally  hovering  in  the  background,  whatever  one  may 
do.  I  shall  enjoy  seeing  Avice,  of  course ;  and  if  I  can 
really  help  Aunt  Loftus,  it  will  be  comforting  to  feel 

that  the  advantage  is  mutual.  I  wonder What  about 

clothes  1 ' 

'That  is  just  what  I  have  been  thinking.  We  can't 
afford  anything  new  just  now,  for  the  bills  are  so  heavy,' 
replied  Philippa  sadly.  'We  can  only  bestow  our  united 
treasures  upon  you,  dear,  and  make  you  as  smart  aa 
possible.  You  shall  have  mother's  old  lace  for  your 
evening- frock;  but  be  careful  of  it,  for  if  you  damage  it 
you  need  never  face  me  again!  It  is  going  to  trim  my 
wedding-dress  one  of  these  days.' 


112  AN    ANONTMOUS    LETTER. 

'When  the  lordly  male  arrives  before  whom  she  is  to 
grovel  in  the  dust !  You  shall  have  my  feather  boa,  too. 
It  will  hide  the  shabby  front  of  your  jacket;'  and  Theo 
sighed,  for  the  feather  boa  was  the  pride  of  her  wardrobe, 
and  represented  months  of  saving  and  self-denial.  It  was 
none  of  your  thin,  lanky  wisps,  but  a  really  handsome  boa, 
with  a  bloom  on  the  feathers  like  that  on  a  hot-house 
grape.  Theo  was  fastidious,  and  would  rather  do  without 
a  thing  altogether  than  accept  a  poor  imitation.  She 
thought  of  her  reduced  appearance  without  the  beloved 
fluffiness,  and  heaved  another  sigh. 

'Nothing  to  offer  you,  my  dear.  My  wardrobe  is  of  so 
limited  a  character  that  if  I  gave  anything  away  I 
should  have  to  stay  in  bed  until  it  was  returned,'  cried 
Madge  cheerfully  in  her  turn.  'Accept  my  blessing,  and 
my  earnest  hope  that  the  head  of  a  great  musical  pub- 
lishing house  may  be  among  the  guests,  and  will  recognise 
in  you  the  coming  genius  of  the  day.' 

'So  likely,  isn't  it?  That  sort  of  thing  happens  only 
in  novels.  The  house  will  probably  be  full  of  sporting 
men,  who  don't  know  one  composer  from  another,  but 
who  find  it  enlivening  to  listen  to  a  "  tune "  in  the 
evening.  Oh,  if  Minnie  Caldecott  would  only  write!  I 
look  out  for  that  letter  every  morning,  but  it  never 
comes.  Do  you  think  I  might  send  a  little  note  to  jog 
her  memory?' 

'Certainly  I  do.  I  should  think  she  was  the  sort  of 
woman  who  needed  a  good  deal  of  jogging.  Say  that 
you  are  anxious  to  know  whether  she  wishes  to  secure 


AN    ANONYMOUS    LETTER.  113 

the  song,  as,  if  not,  you  will  offer  it  elsewhere.  There 
is  nothing  like  appearing  confident  and  unperturbed.  I 
am  sorry  you  are  going  away,  Hope,  for  I  wanted  you 
to  sit  for  me  as  fair  Rosamond  in  the  picture  I  have 
to  show  to  get  permission  to  draw  in  the  life-room. 
I'll  have  to  send  in  an  old  one,  I  suppose.  Look 
over  these  for  me,  and  tell  me  which  you  like  best.' 

Hope  turned  over  the  sketches  in  the  portfolio,  smiling 
with  sisterly  pleasure  as  she  recognised  one  old  favourite 
after  another.  It  seemed  incredible  to  her  partiality  that 
Madge  should  not  have  immediately  ranked  as  a  genius 
among  the  students  of  the  school,  for  surely  there  was 
something  peculiarly  original  in  the  treatment  of  these 
figures ! 

She  held  out  a  sheet  towards  her  sisters,  and  cried 
eagerly,  '  There !  That  is  my  choice.  What  do  you 
think  of  that?' 

'Good — suggestive — full  of  atmosphere!'  pronounced 
Theo  in  her  most  professional  manner;  while  Philippa 
put  her  head  on  one  side,  and  in  all  innocence  of  heart 
launched  a  bomb-shell  into  their  midst. 

'Wouldn't  it  make  a  good  poster?  Doesn't  it  look 
exactly  like  some  of  the  posters  you  see  upon  the 
hoardings  ? ' 

It  was  seldom  indeed  that  a  speech  of  Philippa's  could 
wound  her  faithful  friend  and  admirer,  but  this  time 
the  arrow  went  home,  and  Madge's  thin  cheek  flushed 
with  displeasure.  She  gathered  together  the  scattered 
sketches  in  silence,  keeping  her  head  rigorously  turned 

Genius.  H 


114  AN   ANONYMOUS   LETTER. 

aside,  while  Hope  made  strenuous  efforts  to  redeem  the 
situation. 

'  Well,  really,  so  it  does  !  They  say  poster-painting  is 
quite  an  art  nowadays.  I  hear  it  pays  so  well  that  many 
artists  would  be  thankful  to  take  it  up,  if  it  were  not 
that  it  requires  a  special  talent.  Personally  I  hope  it 
will  be  cultivated.  It  would  be  so  delightful  to  see  the 
old  eyesores  replaced  by  really  artistic  pictures.' 

In  vain !  Madge  remained  silent,  red,  and  angry. 
Poster-painting  may  be  admirable  in  its  way,  but  when 
a  student  dreams  of  becoming  a  female  Leighton  or 
Alma  Tadema,  the  alternative  is  not  welcomed  with 
enthusiasm.  Philippa  reflected  sadly  that  another  unfor- 
tunate remark  was  scored  against  her;  but  Madge  was  of 
too  happy  a  disposition  to  harbour  a  grudge,  and  in  half- 
an-hour's  time  the  grievance  was  dismissed  from  her  mind, 
and  she  was  once  more  her  own  sunny  self. 

When  Barney  returned  home  that  evening  he  joined 
in  the  general  chorus  of  lament  at  Hope's  departure, 
though  his  sorrow  flowed  from  a  somewhat  different 
source  from  that  of  his  sisters. 

1  What  a  fag ! '  he  cried.  '  Now  that  old  Hermit 
Johnny  will  think  that  we  are  quiet  because  he  com- 
plained. I  wish  to  goodness  I  had  taken  up  the  flute ; 
I  would  tootle  all  the  evening  for  his  amusement.'  He 
sat  for  a  while  gazing  at  the  ceiling  in  deep  reflection, 
then  slapped  his  knee  ecstatically.  '  There 's  a  fellow  in 
the  office  who  belongs  to  the  London  Scottish  and  has 
a  bigpipe.  I  say,  wouldn't  it  make  the  Hermit  sit  up 


AN   ANONYMOUS   LETTER.  115 

if  I  borrowed  it  and  practised  reels?  M'Gregor  wouldn't 
lend  it,  though.  He  is  a  stingy  beast  who  will  never  do 
a  fellow  a  good  turn.  I  have  a  score  against  him ! 
Well,  cheer  up,  Hope ;  I  '11  do  my  best  to  fill  your 
place  while  you  're  away.  I  '11  find  some  way  of  keeping 
our  friend  alive,  or  I  'm  mistaken.' 

'  Barney  dear — Barney  ! '  murmured  Philippa  softly. 

Barney  smiled  at  her  with  indulgent  tenderness.  'Keep 
your  hair  on,  old  lady ! '  he  said  encouragingly ;  and 
Philippa  could  only  gasp  and  pant  beneath  his  bear-like 
hug,  and  declare  that  never — no,  never — had  she  met 
such  an  unmanageable,  disrespectful,  vulgar  boy  ! 


116 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE    SHANTY. 

WEEK  later  Hope  travelled  down  to  Norfolk 
with  the  united  fineries  of  the  family  in 
her  box,  a  mind  stored  with  good  advice 
from  the  stock  of  worldly  wisdom  of  her 
sisters,  and  a  heart  filled  with  .  mingled  expectation 
and  foreboding.  It  was  the  first  time  in  her  life  that 
she  had  paid  a  visit  on  her  own  account,  and  she 
realised,  with  a  shock  of  surprise,  what  a  child  she 
remained  in  spite  of  her  three-and-twenty  years,  and  how 
unlimited  was  her  inexperience !  Now  that  she  was  really 
on  her  way  and  it  was  too  late  to  turn  back,  she  sat 
aghast  at  her  temerity  in  daring  to  face  a  houseful  of 
strangers,  and  trembled  at  the  ordeal  of  appearing  before 
them.  She  would  arrive  at  the  station  at  half-past  four; 
after  that  would  follow  a  drive  of,  say,  half-an-hour.  If 
she  arrived  at  the  house  at  five  o'clock,  would  tea  be 
over,  or  only  in  progress?  Would  the  men  have  returned 
from  their  day's  sport?  Would  many  guests  be  present 
to  whom  she  must  be  introduced,  and  who  would  all 
want  to  know  if  she  were  tired,  if  the  train  had  been 
punctual,  if  she  had  had  a  comfortable  journey?  Would 
there  be  any  girls  in  the  party  besides  herself?  And  if 


THE    SHANTY.  117 

so,  would  they  be  very  superior  and  fashionable?  Would 
Avice  be  friendly  and  affectionate,  or  too  much  taken  up 
with  her  duties  to  waste  time  on  insignificant  Hope 
Charrington?  All  these  and  a  thousand  other  questions 
occupied  Hope's  busy  brain  till  she  reached  the  end  of 
her  journey. 

Insignificant  Hope  Charrington  looked,  if  the  truth 
were  told,  anything  but  insignificant  as  she  took  her  place 
in  the  high  dogcart  that  was  waiting  at  the  station.  As 
she  drove  through  the  little  country  town,  more  than 
one  admiring  glance  was  cast  upon  the  pretty  young  lady 
whose  golden  hair  and  pink-and-white  complexion  showed 
to  such  advantage  against  the  severe  black  of  her  attire. 
Tired  shop  assistants  gazed  at  her  through  the  shop 
windows,  and  sighed  with  envy  as  they  looked.  It  must 
be  so  nice  to  be  a  lady  and  have  nothing  to  do  but 
enjoy  one's  self,  and  look  pretty,  and  never  know  an 
anxious  thought  all  one's  days !  That  lovely  young  lady, 
for  instance,  was  going  to  stay  at  The  Shanty,  where 
there  was  already  a  houseful  of  guests :  handsome  men 
ready  to  fall  in  love  at  a  moment's  notice;  girls  over 
whom  the  new-comer  would  reign  as  queen !  Her  luggage 
was  no  doubt  following  in  the  cart:  box  upon  box  of 
fineries ;  different  dresses  for  every  day  in  the  week ; 
jewel-cases  full  of  glittering  gems ! 

So  much  for  imagination,  while  in  reality  poor  Hope 
was  clenching  her  hands  to  keep  from  trembling,  hoping 
with  all  her  might  that  the  one  black  silk  evening-dress 
would  not  be  a  mass  of  creases  when  unpacked ;  wondering 


118  THE    SHANTY. 

if  it  were  possible  that  where  she  was  going  she  would 
meet  a  friend  who  might  be  able  to  help  her  to  earn 
some  money — a  little  money  to  put  towards  those  terrible 
household  expenses. 

Ten  minutes'  drive  and  they  had  left  the  town  behind 
them ;  another  ten  minutes  and  the  lodge  gates  of  The 
Shanty  came  in  sight;  three  minutes  more  and  Hope 
was  stepping  inside  an  entrance-hall  lined  with  fine  old 
tapestries,  and  stretching  the  whole  length  of  the  house. 
The  sound  of  voices  came  to  her  ear,  but  she  could  not 
locate  them  until  she  had  walked  half-way  down  the 
halL  Then  a  deep  recess  came  in  view  on  the  right- 
hand  side — a  recess  as  big  as  an  ordinary  room — wherein 
a  dozen  people  sat  round  a  blazing  fire,  drinking  tea 
with  leisurely  enjoyment.  At  sight  of  the  new-comer 
there  was  a  general  pause  in  the  conversation.  Mrs 
Loftus  rustled  forward  to  greet  her;  Avice  smiled  and 
extended  a  languid  hand;  and  Uncle  Loftus  murmured 
jocosely,  '  Hope  on,  Hope  ever !  So  here  you  are,  my 
dear — eh?  Glad  to  see  you.  Have  a  cup  of  tea1?' 

'Sit  here,  Hope.  Let  me  introduce  you,'  said  her 
aunt;  and  Hope  listened  confusedly  to  a  long  list  of 
names,  bowed  automatically  from  time  to  time,  then 
thankfully  subsided  into  a  seat  in  a  corner.  There  were 
two  ladies  present  besides  her  aunt  and  cousin — one 
elderly  and  prosaic  matron,  and  one  young  and  sparkling 
brunette,  who  was  busily  occupied  flirting  with  three  men 
at  the  same  time,  and  seemed  capable  of  adding  in- 
definitely to  their  number.  For  the  rest,  there  were  men 


THK   SHANTY.  119 

in  shooting-coats  and  leather  gaiters — old  men,  middle-aged 
men,  young  men,  all  bronzed  and  healthy,  and  remarkably 
well  satisfied  with  themselves  and  their  day's  sport 

Hope  studied  them  shyly  as  she  nibbled  at  her  scone. 
The  buzz  of  conversation  had  begun  again  by  this  time, 
and  as  her  presence  was  apparently  forgotten,  she  was 
at  leisure  to  pursue  her  investigations.  The  stout,  gray 
man  was  the  husband  of  the  prosaic  lady.  The  merry  little 
man  with  the  round  bald  head  and  the  short  legs  was 
evidently  an  intimate  of  the  family,  for  he  threw  fresh 
logs  on  the  fire,  and  even  dared  to  chaff  Mrs  Loftus  her- 
self. The  fair  youth  with  the  eyeglass  was  only  pretending 
to  be  captivated  by  Miss  Brunette ;  the  older  man  with 
the  fair  hair  was  seriously  smitten;  the  tall,  distinguished- 
looking  personage  with  the  haughty  eyelids  and  drooping 
moustache  had  the  air  of  being  bored  by  everything  and 
every  one.  Hope  looked  at  him  critically,  with  a  view  to 
describing  him  to  Theo.  '  He  would  make  a  splendid 
hero.  Dark  features,  sharply  cut;  two  horizontal  lines  in 
his  forehead;  lazy  eyes  that  give  a  flash  now  and  then, 
and  show  that  he  could  be  active  enough  if  he  chose;  a 
square  chin ;  and  such  great,  wide  shoulders.  He  looks 
quite  different  from  the  other  men;  and  yet  I  don't  know 
why  he  should.' 

She  looked  him  critically  up  and  down,  and  her  eyes, 
travelling  upwards  again,  found  his  studying  her  in  return. 
It  might  have  been  an  embarrassing  discovery,  but  before 
it  had  time  to  become  so  the  man  who  was  different  from 
other  men  had  strolled  across  the  hall,  taken  possession  of 


120  THE    SHANTY. 

the  seat  by  her  side,  and  was  inquiring  if  she  felt  tired 
after  her  journey,  in  a  tone  which  seemed  to  imply  that 
he  took  not  the  faintest  possible  interest  in  her  reply. 

'A  little  tired,'  said  Hope  prosaically,  conscious  that  if 
Madge  had  been  in  her  place  she  would  have  been  ready 
with  a  vivacious  retort  which  would  have  broken  the  ice 
of  formality.  She  felt  quite  unable  to  frame  such  a 
retort.  Instead  she  said  simply,  '  I  am  not  particularly 
fond  of  railway  travelling,  and  I  dislike  changes.  I  never 
feel  that  I  can  settle  down  comfortably  when  there  is 
a  change  before  me.  Even  if  it  is  two  hours  ahead, 
I  cannot  determine  to  undo  a  rug  and  make  myself 
comfortable.' 

'No?'  said  Mr  Merrilies;  and  once  again  his  voice 
sounded  so  flat  and  uninterested  that  she  wished  she  had 
not  been  so  explicit  in  setting  forth  her  feelings.  She 
allowed  herself  to  be  helped  to  a  second  cup  of  tea,  then 
relapsed  into  silence,  waiting  patiently  for  a  fresh  lead. 
The  other  men  were  discussing  the  day's  sport,  and  pre- 
sently her  companion  must  needs  report  on  'the  bag' 
in  his  turn. 

'We  have  been  over  the  Tansy  Woods  to-day,  seven 
of  us,  and  the  bag  was  two  hundred  and  fifteen  pheasants, 
a  brace  of  partridges,  thirty  hares,  and  ninety-five  rabbits. 
Pretty  fair,  isn't  it  1 ' 

'I  don't  know,'  said  Hope  simply.  'I  know  nothing 
about  shooting.  Neither  my  father  nor  brother  was  a 
sportsman,  so  I  cannot  judge  what  is  bad  or  good.  It 
seems  a  tremendous  number.' 


THE   SHANTY.  121 

She  looked  so  pretty  and  so  winsome  as  she  glanced 
at  him  with  her  child-like  eyes  that  his  face  relaxed  from 
its  set  lines,  and  he  smiled  in  involuntary  friendliness. 

'A  few  years  ago  it  would  have  been  a  record  day, 
a  day  to  put  in  the  papers,  but  now  it  is  nothing  at  all 
extraordinary.  In  shooting,  as  in  everything  else,  the 
standard  has  risen,  and  we  are  less  easily  satisfied.  It 
is  an  age  of  great  expectations;  don't  you  think  so?' 

'  I  don't  know,'  said  Hope  again ;  but  her  brow  clouded, 
and  presently  she  asked  in  an  anxious  little  voice,  'Do 
you  really  think  the  standard  has  risen  in  everything? 
Would  it  be  more  difficult  to  do  well  in — er — in  any 
profession,  for  instance,  than  it  was  a  dozen  years  ago? 
Would  you  have  to  be  much  cleverer?' 

'  Oh  dear,  yes  !  certainly  you  would.  It  is  a  different 
thing  altogether.  A  dozen  years  ago  people  were  easily 
pleased,  and  ready  to  make  allowances,  but  nothing  short 
of  perfection  satisfies  us  nowadays.  The  days  of  the 
amateur  are  past;  even  professionals  need  constant  study 
to  maintain  their  high  standard.' 

(Y — es,'  assented  Hope  faintly.  She  thought  of  her 
poor  little  songs,  of  Theo's  'worrying'  story,  and  Madge's 
poster-like  pictures,  and  felt  a  sinking  of  heart  that  took 
away  her  appetite  for  scones  and  plum-cake.  She  and 
her  sisters  had  thought  themselves  geniuses  at  dear  little 
Leabourne,  but  three  months'  experience  of  London  had 
brought  a  bitter  disillusionment.  She  stared  at  the 
ground,  and  Mr  Merrilies  in  his  turn  stared  at  her 
charming  profile,  and  sighed  to  think  that  the  prettiest 


122  THE   SHANTY. 

girls  were  generally  the  most  stupid.  He  was  unfeignedly 
relieved  when  Avice  came  forward  to  take  her  cousin 
upstairs  to  dress  for  dinner. 

The  room  which  had  been  set  apart  for  Hope  was  one 
of  the  smallest  and  least  handsomely  furnished  in  the 
house,  as  became  the  abode  of  a  poor  relation;  but  it 
looked  attractive  enough,  all  the  same,  with  a  bright  little 
fire  burning  in  the  grate  and  the  curtains  drawn  cosily 
over  the  windows.  Hope's  box  had  already  been  un- 
packed, and  as  there  could  be  no  question  of  'What  will 
you  wear  for  dinner?'  there  lay  the  black  silk  on  the 
bed,  solid  and  sober.  Avice  glanced  at  it  carelessly. 

'Oh  yes,  that  will  do  very  well.  We  shall  be  quite 
alone,'  she  said,  with  a  nod ;  then  leant  against  the 
mantelpiece  and  smiled  at  her  cousin  with  languid  friend- 
liness. She  gave  the  impression  of  wishing  to  be  really 
kind,  but  of  lacking  the  energy  to  put  her  intention 
into  effect;  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  girl  was  too  anaemic 
to  feel  keen  interest  in  anything  or  anybody.  'Sure  you 
have  all  you  want?  If  you  require  anything  just  ring, 
and  it  will  be  brought  to  you  at  once.  You  needn't  be 
downstairs  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  There  are  some  books 
over  there  if  you  would  like  to  read.' 

'Couldn't  you  stay  and  talk  to  me?'  asked  Hope  shyly; 
but  Avice  thought  not — thought  she  had  better  lie  down 
— thought  there  would  be  plenty  of  time  to  talk  another 
day,  and  glided  listlessly  away,  leaving  the  new-comer 
chilled  and  disappointed. 

A  little  reading;  a  home  letter  written  with  a  'detaily' 


THE    SHANTY.  123 

description  of  journey,  arrival,  and  first  impressions;  a 
careful  if  simple  toilet,  made  short  work  of  the  hour  and 
a  half's  waiting,  and  Hope  stepped  shyly  out  of  her 
room  to  find  her  way  along  the  corridor.  Half-way  down 
a  door  creaked,  a  pair  of  dark  eyes  peered  cautiously 
forth,  followed  by  the  whole  of  a  curly  dark  head,  and 
Miss  Brunette's  voice  accosted  her  with  the  ease  and 
geniality  of  an  old  acquaintance. 

'  There  you  are !  I  have  been  looking  out  for  you  for 
an  age  !  Do  come  and  lace  up  my  dress,  there  'a  a  kind 
creature !  I  have  rung  the  bell  three  times  over,  but  I 
suppose  it  is  broken,  as  nobody  has  appeared.  I  didn't 
bring  a  maid  with  me  this  time;  did  you?' 

'  I  ?  A  maid !  I  never  possessed  such  a  thing  in  my 
life,'  cried  Hope,  laughing;  at  which  Miss  Brunette  stared, 
looked  her  critically  up  and  down,  and  affected  to  frown. 

'Really?  But  then  it  doesn't  matter  to  you.  You  are 
one  of  those  exasperating  people  who  can't  help  looking 
nice,  whatever  they  do.  I  did  bless  you  when  you  walked 
in  this  afternoon !  If  there  is  one  thing  that  makes 
me  wild,  it  is  to  have  a  better-looking  girl  than  myself 
staying  in  a  house.  I  have  had  it  all  my  own  way  here 
so  far,  for  Avice  is  too  lazy  to  count,  but  now  I  shall 
have  to  play  second  fiddle.  Men  are  so  silly  about  pretty 
faces.  Do  you  think  I  am  pretty?  Honestly?  Yes,  most 
people  do;  but,  to  tell  you  a  dead  secret,  it  is  all  a 
mistake.  I  am  really  barely  good-looking,  but  I  give 
an  impression  of  prettiness  by  my  vivacity  and  strict 
attention  to  business.' 


124  THE   SHANTY. 

Hope  laughed,  and  the  two  girls  chattered  gaily  to- 
gether over  the  belated  toilet.  When  it  was  finished 
Truda  Bennett  slid  her  hand  through  Hope's  arm  in 
friendly  confidence. 

'You  are  a  dear,'  she  said.  'I  like  you.  When  you 
came  in  I  thought  you  were  bound  to  be  slow  and 
proper.  I  always  mistrust  fair  girls  with  blue  eyes.  Nine 
times  out  of  ten  they  are  deadly  uninteresting;  but  I 
can  see  you  are  an  exception.  I  will  try  not  to  be 
jealous  of  you,  if  you  will  promise  not  to  flirt  with 
Ralph  Merrilies.  I'm  especially  interested  in  him;  so  play 
fair,  won't  you?  You  may  have  all  the  others.' 

*  How  wholesale  of  you  !  Are  you  sure  you  mean  it  1 
From  what  I  have  seen,  I  should  imagine  you  would 
hardly  be  satisfied  with  one.' 

In  dealing  with  such  a  very  outspoken  young  lady,  it 
seemed  best  to  reply  in  the  same  strain,  but  Hope  mar- 
velled inwardly  at  the  eccentricities  of  human  nature. 
Imagine — just  imagine — being  'interested'  in  somebody, 
and  confiding  the  fact  to  a  stranger  the  very  first  time 
one  spoke  to  her !  It  would  be  difficult  enough  to  speak 
of  it  even  to  Theo,  her  lifelong  friend  and  companion ; 
but  to  a  stranger — it  was  incredible !  She  studied  the 
girl's  dark  face  with  curious  eyes  as  they  walked  down- 
stairs, while  the  men  gathered  round  the  fireplace  below, 
watched  them  as  they  approached,  and  admired  the  pretty 
picture.  They  made  a  charming  contrast — the  sparkling 
brunette  in  her  amber  draperies,  and  the  tall  figure  in 
the  black  dress,  with  the  sweet  pink-and-white  face. 


It  was  greeted  with  applause,  so  spontaneous  and  genuine  that  it 

could  not  fail  to  bo  inspiriting. 
D.  o.  PAGE  125. 


THE   SHANTY.  125 

Directly  after  dinner  Mrs  Loftus  sent  Hope  to  the 
piano,  and  the  girl  sat  down  unaffectedly,  and  played 
several  pieces  in  succession,  to  the  complete  satisfaction  of 
the  company,  who  apparently  found  it  much  more  agree- 
able to  discourse  to  music  than  without  it.  Mr  Merrilies, 
indeed,  did  stroll  across  the  room,  to  stand  hy  her  side 
and  say  'Thank  you'  at  the  conclusion,  as  if  he  meant 
what  he  said;  but  from  a  general  point  of  view  the 
performance  was  a  failure,  and  Mrs  Loftus  felt  dis- 
appointed. Hope  had  been  invited  with  the  especial 
intent  of  providing  amusement  for  her  guests,  and  if 
she  failed  to  do  so  there  was  really  no  reason  for  her 
presence. 

'  Sing  something  to  us,  Hope,'  said  Mrs  Loftus  imperi- 
ously. 'Sing  some  of  your  own  songs. — Miss  Charrington 
has  composed  some  charming  little  things,'  she  explained  to 
the  company  at  large,  who  murmured  politely  in  response. 

'  Compose  ?  How  wonderful  of  you !  How  do  you 
manage  to  do  it?'  queried  Truda  eagerly,  while  the  fair 
youth  pulled  his  moustache  and  looked  at  Hope  as  if 
she  were  a  wild  animal  escaped  from  the  Zoo,  and  Uncle 
Loftus  began  humming  what  he  fondly  supposed  to  be 
the  air  of  'The  Song  of  Sleep'  to  his  companion  on  the 
sofa. 

Plainly,  the  best  thing  to  do  was  to  begin  at  once 
before  the  situation  grew  more  embarrassing,  so  Hope 
broke  into  the  accompaniment  of  song  number  one,  a 
simple  but  taking  little  production  which  had  been  pub- 
lished two  years  before.  It  was  greeted  with  applause, 


126  THE   SHANTY. 

so  spontaneous  and  genuine  that  it  could  not  fail  to  be 
inspiriting.  Hope  forgot  to  be  nervous,  and  sang  'Pack 
Clouds  Away'  in  her  best  style,  sweetly,  smoothly,  and 
with  that  distinctness  of  enunciation  which  is  so  rare  a 
charm.  More  applause  followed,  more  exclamations  of 
appreciation,  more  queries  as  to  how  she  did  it,  and 
then  Uncle  Loftus  must  needs  begin  humming  again, 
and  put  in  a  request  for  'The  sleepy  one,  you  know — 
the  one  you  wrote  to  order.  That  is  the  gem  of  the 
collection,  in  my  opinion.  "We  should  like  to  hear  the 
sleepy  one,  my  dear.' 

Now,  as  it  happened,  Hope  was  by  no  means  anxious 
to  grant  this  request,  for  the  idea  which  Miss  Caldecott 
had  so  slightly  suggested  had  appealed  very  strongly  to 
her  sensitive  nature,  and  she  had  put  into  it  her  best 
work,  with  the  hope  that  when  listening  to  it  its  hearers 
might  feel  something  of  the  same  thrill,  the  same  earnest- 
ness, which  she  had  experienced  in  its  composition.  She 
had  never  been  able  to  go  through  it  unmoved,  and  it 
seemed  almost  sacrilege  to  sing  it  in  this  room  full  of 
noisy  strangers,  who  would  miss  its  point,  and  at  best 
pronounce  it  'sweetly  pretty.'  She  tried  to  protest,  to 
declare  that  she  had  already  monopolised  the  piano  too 
long,  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  The  more  she  hung  back, 
the  more  eager  became  her  audience.  'The  sooner  begun, 
the  sooner  it's  done,'  she  said  to  herself,  with  a  sigh 
of  resignation,  and  began  to  sing  forthwith. 

Theo    had    clothed   the    idea    in    simple    and    touching 
words,  and  Hope  had   seconded   her  with  something  akin 


THE   SHANTY.  127 

to  inspiration;  the  last  few  lines,  with  their  subtle  change 
of  key,  containing  an  effect  at  once  charming  and  pathetic. 
'So  to  us  all  comes  the  end  of  the  day,'  sang  Hope 
softly — so  softly  that  the  crackle  of  the  firewood  sounded 
loudly  in  the  ears  of  the  listeners : 

'So  to  us  all  comes  the  end  of  the  day, 
When  our  playmates  are  lost,  and  our  toys  cast  away; 
Tired  children  of  earth,  when  the  shadows  fall  deep, 
The  Father  in  Heaven  will  grant  to  us — sleep!' 

The  pause  before  the  last  word  gave  to  it  an  added 
emphasis,  and  Hope  let  her  hands  fall  on  her  lap  with 
a  sigh  of  pent-up  emotion.  Her  eyes  were  bright  with 
unshed  tears ;  but  there  were  no  signs  of  emotion  in  the 
audience. 

1  How  sweetly  pretty ! '  cried  Truda  in  the  very  accents 
which  the  singer  had  heard  in  imagination. 

'I  say !  Quite  touching,  isn't  it ? '  said  the  youth 
with  the  fair  moustache. 

There  was  a  babel  of  '  Thanks — thanks  awfully ! '  and 
Aunt  Loftus  said  graciously,  'You  must  be  tired,  my 
dear.  Come  and  sit  down.  We  must  really  give  you  a 
rest.' 

For  five  minutes  afterwards  Hope  was  the  centre  of 
an  admiring  throng,  and  tasted  the  bitter-sweet  of  an 
applause  which  failed  to  appreciate  the  true  merit  of 
her  work.  It  was  pleasant  enough,  so  far  as  it  went, 
but  it  left  a  disappointed  ache  behind,  and  she  waa  not 
sorry  when  Truda  asserted  her  rights,  and  by  means  of 
a  trick  with  a  lead  pencil,  a  piece  of  paper,  and  a 


128  THE    SHANTY. 

hand-glass  succeeded  once  more  in  gathering  the  company 
round  herself. 

Hope  remained  on  the  outside  of  the  circle,  a  little 
tired  after  her  exertions,  and  thankful  for  a  moment's 
breathing-space.  As  she  stood  she  became  conscious  of 
a  steady  gaze  levelled  upon  her  from  the  other  end  of 
the  room.  Mr  Merrilies  had  not  taken  up  a  position 
with  the  other  men,  but  was  leaning  against  the  mantel- 
piece, studying  her  face  with  a  grave,  intent  questioning. 
For  a  moment  each  looked  deep  into  the  other's  eyes; 
the  rest  of  the  figures  in  the  room  seemed  to  fade  away, 
and  these  two  saw  each  other  as  they  really  were,  shorn 
of  all  the  pretence  and  artificiality  of  society. 

'  It  is  true,'  he  said  to  himself :  '  her  mind  is  as 
lovely  as  her  face.  She  could  not  have  composed  that 
song — she  could  not  have  sung  it  as  she  did — if  she 
were  not  everything  that  is  sweet  and  good.  Hope  I  \ 
wonder — I  wonder  if — at  last' 

He  raised  his  arm  from  the  mantelpiece  and  walked 
forward  to  join  the  group  by  the  table,  while  Hope 
shrank  still  farther  into  the  shadow.  Her  cheeks  flushed, 
her  heart  beat  with  an  unaccustomed  quickening.  '  I 
believe,'  she  said  to  herself — '  I  believe  he  understood  ! ' 


129 


CHAPTER    XL 

NEW   FRIENDSHIPS. 

J1HREE  days  passed,  and  Hope  thoroughly 
enjoyed  the  novel  experience  of  life  in  a 
crowded  and  constantly  changing  household. 
Certain  of  the  guests  were  fixtures,  among 
whom  were  numbered  Truda  Bennett,  Mr  Merrilies, 
and  the  fair  and  facetious  Reggie  Blake;  but  for 
the  rest,  every  day  saw  fresh  arrivals,  fresh  departures, 
all  involving  a  certain  amount  of  extra  work  to  the 
busy  servants.  Hope  could  not  help  realising  the  truth 
of  Madge's  shrewd  surmise  that  she  had  been  asked  to 
make  herself  of  use,  for  her  aunt  did  not  fail  to  claim 
her  services  a  dozen  times  a  day.  She  arranged  the 
flowers,  decorated  the  dinner-table,  answered  business 
letters,  made  up  and  unpacked  parcels,  and,  in  short, 
discharged  all  the  little  duties  which  ordinarily  fall  upon 
the  daughter  of  the  house. 

The  work  kept  her  more  or  less  separate  from  the  rest 
of  the  party,  and  there  were  occasions  when  she  listened 
longingly  to  the  bursts  of  laughter  which  sounded  from 
the  hall  or  from  the  billiard-room  when  on  a  wet  day 
the  resourceful  Truda  organised  a  billiard  tournament  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  men.  But  for  the  most  part 

Genius.  I 


130  NEW   FRIENDSHIPS. 

she  was  delighted  to  be  of  use,  to  watch  her  aunt's 
hard  manner  gradually  soften  into  something  closely 
approaching  affection,  and  to  receive  from  time  to  time 
one  of  her  cousin's  rare  caresses.  Avice  never  offered  to 
take  any  part  in  the  work,  but  the  listless  eyes  noted 
more  than  was  imagined;  and  looking  back  over  the 
day's  history,  Hope  often  realised  that  it  was  to  a  quiet 
word  or  suggestion  from  Avice's  lips  that  she  owed  what 
little  pleasure  came  her  way. 

With   Mr  Merrilies   she   had   few   opportunities   of  con- 
versation, for  he  was  out   shooting  all   day  long;    and  in 
the  evening  Truda  claimed  him  for  her  own,  and  allowed 
him   no   chance   of  leaving  her   side.     She   had   dozens   of 
what    she    called     'parlour    tricks,'    and     every     evening 
produced   some   new   device   to   attract   attention.     Now   it 
was  a  ring  slung   on   a   piece   of   string,    which   must   be 
separated    without    undoing    the    knot;    now    a    feat    of 
balancing;   now  some  marvellous  thought-reading,  carefully 
prearranged  with  a  confederate.     She  was  a  young   person 
whom    it    was    impossible    to    ignore,    who    systematically 
made    herself    the    centre    of    attraction,    laughing,    talking 
at    the    pitch    of    her    voice,    and    gesticulating    with    her 
little   ringed    hands.     Hope    felt    a    curious    fascination    in 
watching  Mr  Merrilies'  expression   as  he  passively  played 
the   part   of   assistant,    and   asked    herself   curiously   if   he 
returned  Truda's  feeling  of  'especial   interest.'     Impossible 
to  say.     His  inscrutable  face  was  no  index  to  his  feelings, 
but  if  he  showed  no  special  pleasure  in  being  thus  singled 
out,  he  at  least  made  no  effort  to  escape  it.     In  spite  of 


NEW    FRIENDSHIPS.  131 

the  warning  which,  she  had  received,  Hope  could  not  help 
feeling  more  interest  in  this  man  than  in  any  other 
member  of  the  party;  and  she  realised,  with  a  little  thrill 
of  satisfaction,  that  the  interest  was  mutual.  If  she  took 
advantage  of  an  unobserved  moment  to  study  him,  he 
lost  no  opportunity  of  watching  her  in  return,  and  the 
knowledge  that  his  dark  eyes  were  fixed  on  her  as 
she  talked,  and  sang,  and  moved  about  the  room  filled 
her  with  a  new  and  delightful  self-consciousness. 

Now,  Hope  was  a  warm-hearted  girl,  and,  as  was  only 
natural,  had  given  many  a  thought  to  the  lover  of  the 
future ;  but  it  never  occurred  to  her  that  there  was  any 
danger  in  the  interest  which  she  felt  in  Ralph  Merrilies, 
or  in  her  intense  consciousness  of  his  presence.  She  de- 
luded herself  into  the  belief  that  she  was  less  cordially 
disposed  to  him  than  to  any  other  member  of  the  party, 
for  she  had  been  warned  that  another  girl  considered  him 
her  individual  property,  and  was  by  no  means  willing  to 
share  his  attentions.  So  it  came  to  pass  that  she  kept 
quietly  in  the  background,  and  had  little  or  nothing  to 
say  to  Truda's  cavalier. 

On  the  third  evening  of  Hope's  stay  at  The  Shanty 
the  sportsmen  came  home  unusually  tired,  and  for  once 
Truda's  after-dinner  tricks  failed  to  entertain.  The  men 
had  no  inclination  to  exert  their  minds  or  their  muscles 
either,  and  turning  to  Hope,  begged  her  for  'a  tune.' 

'The  worst  of  Miss  Charrington,'  sighed  Reggie  Blake 
regretfully,  'is  that  she  is  so  painfully  classical  and 
superior.  She  never  condescends  to  play  a  piece  whose 


132  NEW    FRIENDSHIPS. 

composer  hasn't  seven  syllables  to  his  name  and  a  sneeze 
in  the  middle.  They  are  very  clever  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing,  don't  you  know,  but  I  always  wonder  when  the 
tune  is  going  to  begin.  Squeak,  squeak !  in  the  treble ; 
bang,  bang!  in  the  bass;  a  rolling  like  heavy  machinery, 
and  all  sorts  of  jerks  and  breaks  when  you  are  least 
expecting  them:  that  is  what  you  call  a  "Gigue."  A  bit 
of  a  scale  repeated  over  and  over  again  like  the  tune 
the  old  cow  died  of:  that  is  a  "Fugue."  I've  a  musical 
sister  at  home,  so  I  know.  Now,  I  don't  pretend  to  be 
classical;  I  like  a  good,  rousing  air — something  that  makes 
you  want  to  stamp  your  feet  and  beat  time  with  your 
head.  Look  at  Miss  Charrington  laughing  at  me !  I 
suppose  as  a  matter  of  fact  you  don't  know  any  airs, 
Miss  Charrington?' 

'I  have  a  schoolboy  brother,'  answered  Hope  demurely. 
She  wheeled  round  on  the  music-stool  and  looked  at  him 
with  dancing  eyes;  and  when  Hope  looked  mischievous, 
it  was  something  very  well  worth  seeing  in  those  days 
of  young  womanhood.  'I  blush  to  say,'  she  said  slowly 
— though  as  a  matter  of  fact  she  did  not  blush  at  all, 
but  looked  particularly  beaming  and  complacent — 'I  blush 
to  say  that  there  is  not  a  single  tune  at  present  per- 
formed upon  the  barrel-organs  with  which  I  am  not 
intimately  acquainted.  I  shall  be  happy  to  accompany 
you,  and  to  coach  you  in  the  words,  whenever  you  feel 
inclined  to  perform.' 

*  Hurrah!  Good  business!  Will  you  really  T  cried 
Reggie,  jumping  to  his  feet  and  hurrying  across  to  the 


NEW    FRIENDSHIP.  133 

piano,  abeam  with  delight.  'Can  you  manage  "Mrs 
'Enry  'Awkins"?  That  is  my  stock  song,  and  I  sing  it 
wherever  I  go. — Mrs  Loftus,  you  are  dying  to  hear  me 
sing  "Mrs  'Enry  'Awkins"?  I  know  you  are. — Let's 
tune  up  at  once,  Miss  Charrington;  and  a  chorus,  mind 
— a  rousing  old  chorus  ! ' 

Every  one  was  laughing,  and  looking  of  a  sudden 
bright  and  animated;  no  one  was  sleepy  any  longer. 
There  was  a  secondary  accompaniment  of  chuckles  as 
Eeggie  screwed  up  his  thin,'  ugly  face  into  the  most 
comical  of  grimaces  and  half-sang,  half-recited  the  cele- 
brated coster  love-song.  Hope's  spirited  playing  made  him 
sing  his  best,  and  her  clear  voice  started  the  chorus 
with  such  spirit  that  presently  every  one  was  taking 
part,  tentatively  at  first,  then  with  quickly  growing 
ardour,  until  at  last  the  volume  of  sound  became  over- 
powering. Uncle  Loftus  bellowed  himself  hoarse  in  his 
corner,  and  even  his  wife's  lips  moved  in  sympathetic 
echo.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  song  there  was  an  out- 
burst of  applause  and  laughter  which  made  the  performer 
beside  himself  with  delight. 

'To  think,'  he  cried,  'that  we  have  wasted  our  time 
over  Wagner  and  Grieg,  and  all  those  foreign  Johnnies, 
when  we  might  have  had  music  like  this !  I  '11  sing 
every  night ;  and  we  must  work  up  some  more  choruses. 
Mrs  Loftus,  have  you  any  Gilbert  and  Sullivan  operas 
in  the  house?  Couldn't  we  have  a  try  at  them?' 

Why  not,  indeed?  No  sooner  said  than  done.  Out 
came  the  operas  from  the  music  cabinet,  and  as  half-a- 


134  NEW    FRIENDSHIPS. 

dozen  voices  urged  the  claims  of  half-a-dozen  favourites, 
there  was  plainly  nothing  to  be  done  but  take  each 
in  turn.  The  chorus  was  by  way  of  being  a  scratch 
combination — one  treble;  one  alto,  who  had  to  accompany 
as  well  as  sing,  and  also  to  put  in  all  the  high  notes, 
because  the  treble  declared  that  she  could  not  possibly 
'go'  above  F;  two  tenors,  by  no  means  as  correct  as 
they  might  have  been ;  and  an  army  of  heavy,  dragging 
bass — but  what  was  lacking  in  ability  was  made  up  by 
fervour. 

Mr  Merrilies  did  not  sing,  but  he  volunteered  to  turn 
over  the  pages,  and  seating  himself  by  Hope's  side, 
watched  her  face  for  the  signal  which  was  to  guide  his 
inexperience.  At  first  this  signal  was  a  quick  glance  at 
his  face,  but  as  time  went  on  this  was  replaced  by  a 
nod  of  the  head  or  an  upward  jerk  of  the  hand — for 
there  was  something  in  the  expression  of  those  watchful 
eyes  which  was  embarrassing  to  meet  at  close  quarters. 
They  talked  quietly  together  between  the  choruses,  while 
the  different  parts  were  wrangling  loudly,  each  laying  the 
blame  upon  the  other,  and  calling  attention  to  his  own 
superior  performance :  and  it  was  not  in  girl  nature  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  fact  that  Ralph  seemed  far  less  concerned 
about  the  music  than  her  own  comfort.  The  lamp  was 
moved  because  it  dazzled  her  eyes;  the  book  was  raised 
to  a  more  convenient  angle;  a  door  was  closed  to  avoid 
a  draught;  and  all  in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  manner  that 
made  the  attention  doubly  acceptable.  Members  of  large 
families  are  not  accustomed  to  have  their  wishes  gratified 


NEW    FUIENDSHIPS.  135 

almost  before  they  are  realised,  and  are  all  the  more 
ready  to  appreciate  such  consideration  from  a  stranger. 

Hope  played,  and  sang,  and  instructed — gave  leads, 
banged  insistently  upon  notes  which  the  singers  rendered 
flat  instead  of  sharp,  and  even  finished  a  tenor  solo 
which  had  hopelessly  come  to  grief — until  hand  and  voice 
and  head  alike  ached  with  fatigue;  but  still  the  insatiable 
chorus  clamoured  for  more,  remembering  another  and 
another  favourite  which  it  would  be  a  sin  to  leave 
untried. 

'You  are  tired,'  said  a  low  voice  in  her  ear.  'You 
shall  not  play  any  longer;'  and  before  she  had  time  to 
protest,  Ralph  Merrilies  had  risen  from  his  seat  and  closed 
the  book  with  a  determined  hand.  'It  is  nearly  eleven 
o'clock.  Do  you  realise  how  long  you  have  kept  MiM 
Charrington  ?  She  has  surely  earned  a  rest.  Do  come  and 
sit  down,  Miss  Charrington ;  your  back  must  need  support' 

'Better  come  upstairs  with  me,  Hope.  I  am  just 
going,'  said  Avice,  rising  from  the  sofa  and  slipping  her 
hand  through  her  cousin's  arm.  The  singers,  contrite  at 
their  own  lack  of  consideration,  busied  themselves  putting 
away  the  music,  and  gathered  into  little  groups  round  the 
piano,  so  that  Mr  Merrilies  and  the  two  girls  were  alone 
in  their  corner,  and  their  conversation  was  not  overheard. 
'I  am  afraid  we  have  been  very  selfish,'  he  said,  looking 
at  Hope's  tired  face;  'but  the  music  has  been  such  a 
pleasure  that  we  have  gone  on  and  on  without  noticing 
the  time,  and  Miss  Charrington  was  too  good-natured  to 
remind  us  that  she  was  growing  tired.' 


136  NEW   FRIENDSHIPS. 

'  Hope  never  thinks  of  herself,'  said  Avice  quietly ;  and 
the  colour  flamed  into  Hope's  white  cheeks  and  her 
blue  eyes  brightened  with  pleasure  at  this  unexpected 
tribute.  Avice — Avice  the  languid,  the  undemonstrative — 
to  praise  her  aloud,  and  in  company  !  She  was  too  much 
taken  aback  to  protest  in  the  conventional  way,  but  she 
noticed  that  Mr  Merrilies  looked  even  more  pleased  than 
herself.  He  smiled  at  Avice  with  a  new  interest  in  his 
eyes,  and  said  quickly : 

'In  that  case  it  is  our  duty  to  look  after  her.  I 
should  suggest  fresh  air  in  the  first  place.  How  is  it 
that  she  never  joins  us  at  our  out-of-door  luncheons'?' 

'She  stays  at  home  to  help  mother;  but  she  shall 
come  to-morrow.  I  will  bring  her,'  replied  Avice  in  a 
voice  that  for  once  was  not  languid,  but  quite  brisk 
and  decided.  Wonders  would  never  cease !  Could  it  be 
that  friendship  for  a  girl  of  her  own  age  was  about  to 
rouse  the  listless  Avice  to  an  active  interest  in  the  life 
which  was  going  on  around  her? 


137 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A    SHOOTING    LUNCHEON. 

T  was  with  the  exultation  of  a  child  on  a 
holiday  that  Hope  prepared  to  start  for 
the  picnic  lunch  the  next  day.  Hitherto 
she  had  watched  the  departure  of  the  other 
ladies  with  a  spasm  of  not  unnatural  envy,  hut  now 
she  was  going  herself.  The  day  was  bright  and  mild, 
and  it  was  so  pleasant  to  drive  in  the  open  hehind 
Pipeclay,  the  little  white  pony  which  was  Avice's  special 
favourite.  Truda  had  driven  on  ahead  with  the  luncheon- 
baskets,  accompanied  by  a  young  married  lady  who  was 
the  latest  addition  to  the  house-party,  so  the  two  cousins 
were  alone,  and  could  talk  together  without  fear  of  inter- 
ruption. Hope  was  all  brightness  and  animation,  for  she 
was  experiencing  at  that  moment  a  mysterious  lightness 
of  heart  which  made  her  see  everything  through  rose- 
coloured  spectacles.  She  admired  everything — the  gray 
stretches  of  the  landscape,  the  outline  of  the  trees  against 
the  skies,  the  tumble-down  cottages  by  the  roadside — 
while  Avice  listened  to  her  animated  talk  with  a  wistful 
smile  on  her  face. 

'You    enjoy    everything,    Hope.     How    do   you    manage 
it?     I  wish  I   knew  your  secret,   for   to  me  it  all  seems 


138  A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON. 

so    stale    and    uninteresting.     I    do    not    believe    there    is 
anything   in   the  world  which   would   make   me   so   bright 
and  happy  as  you  seem  this  morning.' 
'Nothing?' 

«No — nothing.  I  enjoy  some  things  more  than  others, 
of  course;  but,  honestly,  for  me  the  happiest  moment 
of  the  day  is  when  I  lie  down  in  bed  and  feel  that 
for  eight  hours  at  least  I  need  do  nothing  but  rest.' 

'  Poor  darling  ! '  cried  Hope  sympathetically  —  '  poor 
darling!  That  is  a  matter  of  health,  of  course.  But, 

Avice,  don't  you  think  that  perhaps  if  you' 

'Yes;    if  I  what?' 

Hope  knitted  her  brows  and  looked  distressed  and 
nervous. 

'Oh,  I  don't  want  to  preach,  but  perhaps  if  you  had 
something  to  do — if  you  did  not  think  quite  so  much 

of I  mean  to   say  that   if  one   is  feeling   weak  and 

listless,  and  has  nothing  to  do,  one  goes  on  feeling  worse 

and  worse.     But  if  one  gets  interested ' 

'  Yes,  I  know  what  you  mean ;  but  how  is  one  to  get 
interested?  That  is  the  question.  I  am  not  clever  like 
you,  and  have  no  hobbies  to  occupy  my  mind,  and  I  get 
so  bored  with  myself.  Mother  won't  let  me  help  her. 
She  thinks  I  am  too  delicate;  and,  apart  from  that, 
she  is  quick  and  I  am  slow,  and  it  would  fidget  her  to 
see  me  droning  through  what  she  could  do  in  half  the 
time.  It  is  all  very  well  to  say,  "Have  an  interest." 
Everything  that  seems  new  and  exciting  to  you  here  is 
stale  to  me.  I  am  sick  to  death  of  living  in  public  as 


A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON.  139 

we  do,  entertaining  one  set  of  visitors  after  another,  who 
all  say  the  same  things  and  amuse  themselves  in  the 
same  way.  I  am  not  strong  enough  to  go  out  "slum- 
ming" or  visiting  hospitals,  as  some  girls  do.  Where 
would  you  find  your  interest  if  you  were  in  my  place, 
Hope!' 

'I'd  find  it  somewhere,'  said  Hope  sturdily.  'You  have 
plenty  of  money  and  plenty  of  time,  and  there  must  be 
a  hundred  ways  of  putting  them  to  account.  I — I  think 
I  would  try  to  help  girls  who  are  alone  in  the  world 
and  struggling  to  make  their  living.  We  are  all  together, 
and  have  enough  money  to  keep  us  from  actual  want, 
but  I  can  imagine  how  awful  it  must  be  for  girls  who 
are  all  alone,  with  no  one  to  help  them  if  they  fall 
ill ;  whose  lives  are  one  long,  colourless  struggle,  with 
never  a  ray  of  brightness  or  pleasure  from  Monday 
morning  until  Saturday  night.  Could  you  not  think  of 
some  way  of  helping  them?  What  could  you  do?  I 
know;  I  have  it!  There  is  that  sweet  little  lodge 
with  no  one  living  in  it  but  old  George  and  his  wife, 
and  she  was  lamenting  to  me  only  yesterday  that  her 
daughters  were  married,  and  there  were  no  young  folks 
left  in  the  house.  Why  should  you  not  furnish  two 
rooms  upstairs,  and  invite  poor  shop  assistants  and  girl- 
clerks  to  come  down  for  their  holidays,  two  at  a  time, 
so  that  they  would  be  companions  for  each  other?  It 
would  be  so  easy  to  manage,  for  you  need  not  think  of 
expense;  and  Mrs  Moss  would  wait  upon  them,  while 
you  provided  their  amusements.  You  could  go  round 


140  A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON. 

with  Pipeclay  and  take  them  out  for  drives ;  you  could 
lend  them  books  and  papers,  and  have  them  up  to 
the  house  to  tea.  They  would  confide  their  joys  and 
troubles  to  you,  and  tell  you  about  their  "friends,"  and 
write  letters  to  you  when  they  went  home.  When  they 
married,  you  could  help  to  provide  the  trousseaux.  And 
when  the  first  little  girls  were  born  they  would  be  called 
after  you,  and  you  would  knit  their  socks.  They  would 
be  brought  up  to  love  you  because  you  had  been  kind 
to  their  mothers,  and  it  would  be  the  dream  of  their 
lives  to  be  asked  down  to  see  all  the  places  of  which 
they  had  heard  so  much.  In  a  dozen  homes  all  over 
the  country  people  would  be  blessing  you,  and  looking 
upon  you  as  the  good  fairy  who  had  brought  them 
health  and  happiness.  Oh  A  vice,  you  lucky  girl !  What 
would  I  give  to  have  such  a  chance  1  I  would  begin 
to-morrow — to-day — this  very  afternoon  ! ' 

1  Well,'  said  Avice  reflectively — '  well ! '  It  was  not  in 
her  nature  to  be  enthusiastic  like  her  cousin,  but  she 
smiled  as  if  the  idea  found  favour  in  her  sight,  and 
her  dull  eyes  brightened.  'It  does  sound  nice.  I  suppose 
I  could  do  it  if  I  liked.  Mother  wouldn't  mind,  and 
Mrs  Moss  would  be  delighted.  She  is  one  of  those 
women  who  are  never  so  happy  as  when  they  are  nursing 
some  one ;  and  she  would  coddle  the  girls  from  morning 
till  night,  and  give  them  beaten-up  eggs  and  black-currant 
jelly  for  their  throats,  and  her  celebrated  cough  mixture 
made  out  of  nine  "  ingrediencies " !  I  really  will  think 
about  it,  Hope.  I  believe  it  would  be  interesting.  Would 


A   SHOOTING    LUNCHEON.  141 

you  help  me  to   furnish  the  rooms  and  make  them  pretty 
and  artistic?' 

'Rather!  I  adore  huying  things — when  some  one  else 
has  to  pay.  We  would  have  one  room  blue,  and  one 
pink,  with  white  paint  and  dear  little  white  beds,  and 
bookcases  full  of  nice  books,  and  comfy  wicker  chairs  by 
the  window,  where  the  girls  could  sit  and  read,  and  rest 
their  poor,  tired  backs.  And  I  would  be  your  town 
agent,  and  look  out  for  likely  subjects.  If  I  were  in 
a  shop  and  saw  a  poor,  anaemic-looking  girl,  I  could  find 
out  her  circumstances  from  the  manager  or  head  of  the 
department;  and  if  she  had  no  one  to  look  after  her, 
and  was  living  in  the  shop,  or  in  poky  little  lodgings,  I 
could  send  on  her  name  to  you,  and  you  would  invite 
her  to  come  here  for  the  holidays.  Oh,  you  are  going 
to  do  it,  my  dear !  You  '11  have  to  do  it !  I  '11  give  you 
no  peace  till  you  do.' 

'I'll  think  about  it.  I  can't  decide  things  in  a 
moment;  but  I  would  like  to  work  with  you,  Hope,  and 
it  doesn't  sound  too  formidable.  I  really  think  I  could 
arrange  a  pleasant  holiday  for  the  girls.' 

'I  really  think  you  might,'  agreed  Hope,  laughing; 
and  then  suddenly  came  a  halloa  of  welcome,  and  over 
the  fence  appeared  one  head  after  another  as  the  shooting 
party  rose  to  receive  the  new-comers. 

Truda  and  Mrs  Inglis  had  arrived  some  ten  minutes 
earlier,  and  luncheon  was  laid  on  a  cloth  under  the  shelter 
of  the  hedge,  mackintosh  sheets  being  spread  upon  the 
ground,  on  which  the  guests  could  sit  without  fear  of 


142  A    SHOOTING    LUNCHEON. 

rheumatic  consequences.  A  few  yards  away  the  beaters 
were  already  refreshing  themselves  with  Irish  stew  and 
copious  draughts  of  beer,  while  from  the  hampers  had 
come  forth  all  manner  of  tempting  viands,  to  which  the 
sportsmen  did  ample  justice,  the  while  they  protested  at 
such  dainties. 

'Mrs  Loftus  spoils  us  altogether.  I  don't  approve  of 
luxuries  at  a  shooting  lunch.  "We  are  getting  too  soft 
as  a  nation;  that  is  what  is  the  matter  with  us.  It 
would  be  a  lot  better  if  we  went  back  to  simpler  ways. 
— Cut  me  a  chunk  more  of  that  galantine,  that's  a  good 
fellow.  A  chunk,  I  said;  cut  it  thicker,  can't  you?'  and 
Reggie  Blake  bent  forward  to  superintend  the  carver's 
movements  with  an  anxiety  of  expression  which  evoked 
a  hearty  laugh  from  his  companions. 

Mrs  Nash,  the  new-comer,  was  offering  'a  handsome  wife 
and  ten  thousand  a  year,'  in  the  shape  of  the  last  roll 
upon  a  plate,  to  an  old  bachelor  of  sixty,  who  appeared 
much  delighted  at  the  prospect.  Truda  was  playing  tunes 
on  the  rim  of  her  tumbler;  Avice  had  actually  a  tinge  of 
colour  in  her  cheeks;  and  Hope  sat  perched  on  a  cushion, 
looking  down  on  them  all  like  a  queen  on  her  throne. 
Before  the  meal  had  begun  she  had  found  herself  seated 
uncomfortably  between  two  of  the  least  interesting  of  the 
sportsmen;  but  she  had  hardly  time  to  realise  her  dis- 
appointment before — presto!  the  scene  was  changed.  Mr 
Merrilies  had  strolled  towards  the  pony-cart,  and  returned 
with  an  armful  of  cushions,  which  he  placed  on  the 
ground  close  to  where  he  himself  had  been  sitting 


A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON.  143 

1  There  ! '  he  said ;  '  those  are  for  you,  Miss  Charrington. 
You  have  evidently  not  mastered  the  art  of  lunching 
comfortably  on  the  ground,  and  we  shall  have  to  break 
you  in  by  degrees.  Let  me  take  your  plate.' 

Thus  in  the  most  open  and  natural  fashion  the  change 
was  effected  which  was  fraught  with  so  much  satisfaction 
to  the  two  people  most  concerned.  It  was  so  much 
pleasanter  than  the  old  position,  thought  innocent  Hope 
— the  view  was  more  extended,  more  beautiful,  more 
sunny  and  cheerful;  and  to  judge  from  his  unusual 
animation,  Ralph  Merrilies  was  of  the  same  mind  as 
herself.  There  was  no  chance  of  private  conversation ; 
but  there  are  occasions  when  the  most  commonplace 
phrases  become  interesting  and  the  very  passing  of  the 
mustard  is  a  thrilling  incident ! 

When  lunch  was  over  the  ladies  agreed  to  walk  a  little 
way  with  the  men,  leaving  the  carts  to  pick  them  up  at 
another  point.  Once  again  Hope  found  herself  carried  off 
by  Ealph  Merrilies,  and  guided  by  such  a  circuitous  path 
that  the  other  members  of  the  party  were  soon  ahead  and 
safely  out  of  hearing.  For  a  time  they  talked  of  matters 
connected  with  the  day's  sport,  but  gradually  the  conver- 
sation took  a  more  personal  tone,  and  Hope  found  Mr 
Merrilies  confiding  details  of  his  life  to  her  attentive  ears. 
It  appeared  that  his  parents  were  dead,  and  that  he  owned 
an  estate  in  Hampshire,  where  he  lived  in  much  luxury, 
and  greater  boredom,  during  such  portions  of  the  year  as 
he  was  not  visiting  or  risking  his  life  abroad  in  search  of 
adventure;  that  he  was,  in  short,  one  of  those  wealthy, 


144  A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON. 

idle  men  of  whom  she  had  often  read,  but  whom  she 
had  never  met.  As  for  him,  he  was  charmed  by  her  naive 
interest  and  curiosity  concerning  himself  and  his  doings. 
She  asked  for  a  description  of  the  house,  of  his  house- 
keeper-aunt's appearance,  character,  and  attainments;  she 
wondered  how  he  employed  himself  all  day,  suggested 
improvements  in  his  grounds,  and  was  much  concerned  to 
hear  of  a  fire  among  the  stacks  at  the  home  farm. 
Then  he  adroitly  led  the  conversation  to  herself,  begin- 
ning with  a  reference  to  the  subject  in  which  she  appeared 
most  deeply  interested. 

'I  suppose  you  amuse  yourself  with  music.  As  you 
sing  and  play  and  compose,  you  have  plenty  of  variety 
to  keep  you  going.  The  worst  of  possessing  so  many 
talents  is,  that  they  are  so  much  appreciated  by  other 
people  that  they  want  to  work  you  to  death  for  their 
amusement.  Last  night,  for  instance !  It  was  too  bad 
to  keep  you  at  the  piano  all  evening,  and  treat  you  as 
though  you  were  a  professional  accompanist.' 

'  I  wish  I  was,'  sighed  Hope  wistfully ;  and  when 
her  companion  looked  at  her  with  a  start  of  surprise, 
'That  is  what  I  want  to  be,'  she  added  simply.  'I 
have  to  earn  my  living  in  some  way,  and  neither  my 
voice  nor  my  playing  is  good  enough  for  public  per- 
formances ;  but  I  can  accompany.  I  should  be  thankful 
if  any  one  would  hire  me  for  the  purpose.' 

Ralph  Merrilies  looked  at  her  in  silent  astonishment. 
He  had  taken  for  granted  that,  as  the  niece  of  the  wealthy 
Mr  Loftus,  Hope  Charrington  occupied  the  same  position 


N  I    ( 
A   SHOOTING    LUNCHEON.  145 

in  society.  Man-like,  he  had  noticed  none  of  the  signs 
of  poverty  in  her  attire  which  were  plain  as  print  to 
feminine  eyes.  What  if  her  attire  was  always  of  the 
simplest  description  ?  She  invariably  looked  better  than 
any  other  girl  in  the  room.  If  one  solitary  dress  did  duty 
every  evening,  a  new  arrangement  of  laces  transformed  it 
in  his  eyes;  and  if  she  wore  no  jewels,  the  round  white 
throat  and  arms  looked  all  the  better  for  their  lack  of 
adornment.  It  gave  him  a  shock  of  surprise  to  hear  her 
speak  of  making  her  own  livelihood. 

'Do  you  really  mean  that?'  he  asked  gravely;  and  in 
reply  Hope  gave  him  a  short  biographical  sketch,  which 
explained  the  present  position  of  the  family.  'So  you 
see  I  am  responsible  for  a  share  of  our  expenses,'  she  said 
in  conclusion,  'and  it  is  not  so  easy  to  earn  as  I  ex- 
pected. I  thought  I  should  have  little  difficulty  in  getting 
songs  published,  but  I  find  it  is  very  difficult  indeed;  and 
even  if  I  sold  one  or  two  in  the  year,  they  would  bring 
in  very  little,  so  I  must  find  something  that  is  more 
certain.  I  should  make  a  good  accompanist,  for  I  can 
read  at  sight  and  transpose  as  I  go,  and  know  when  to 
humour  a  singer  and  when  to  pull  him  up.  But  the 
difficulty  is  to  find  an  opening.  I  do  hope  that  I  may 
not  be  reduced  to  giving  lessons !  That  would  be  a  real 
trial  of  patience,  and  the  prospect  is  so  hopelessly  limited.' 

'  Oh,  you  must  not  give  lessons !  That  would  never  do,' 
said  Ralph,  drawing  his  brows  together  in  a  disapproving 
frown.  That  she  should  need  to  work  at  all  waa  an 
idea  still  disagreeably  new.  'You  speak  of  becoming  an 


Genius. 


146  A   SHOOTING    LUNCHEON. 

accompanist.  What  does  that  mean  exactly?  Is  there 
an  opening  for  accompaniment  playing,  apart  from  taking 
a  more  prominent  place  in  a  programme  ? ' 

'Oh  yes.  Professionals  often  insist  upon  having  their 
own  accompanists,  for  it  is  so  easy  for  a  stranger  to  spoil 
their  effects.  Even  among  amateurs  they  are  occasionally 
required.  Suppose  a  lady  gets  up  a  concert  for  charity, 
or  gives  a  musical  "At  Home,"  or  has  private  theatricals, 
it  is  an  immense  help  to  have  some  one  who  can  play  for 
all  the  performers  alike,  improvise  a  few  bars  if  things  go 
wrong,  and  fill  up  awkward  gaps  by  appropriate  "selec- 
tions." That  is  the  work  which  would  suit  me  best,  if  I 
could  make  a  start  and  become  fairly  well  known.' 

'I  see.  Yes,  as  you  explain  it,  there  certainly  is  an 
opening  in  that  direction ;  but  forgive  me  for  saying  that 
the  position  seems  too  subordinate  for  your  talent.  Why 
should  you  not  sing  yourself?  You  would  be  better  paid, 
and  it  seems  to  me  that  you  are  very  well  fitted  to 
do  so.' 

Hope  shook  her  head  with  pathetic  candour. 

'No.  My  voice  is  not  strong  enough.  I  am  a  fair 
amateur,  but  most  people  can  find  friends  to  sing  for 
them  quite  as  well  as  I  could  do;  and  if  they  hire  pro- 
fessionals at  all,  they  want  something  better — a  beautiful 
voice  like  Minnie  Caldecott's,  for  instance.  As  you  said 
yourself  the  day  I  arrived,  it  is  a  fastidious  age,  and 
mediocrity  cannot  hope  for  success.' 

'  Did  I  say  that  ?  What  a  singularly  unhappy  remark  ! 
You  must  forgive  it,  please,  because  of  course  I  had  no 


A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON.  147 

idea  what  was  in  your  mind.  I  don't  think,  however, 
that  you  ought  to  use  the  word  "mediocre."  It  is  more 
a  question  of  appropriateness.  Your  voice  may  not  be 
suited  for  big  entertainments — and,  to  speak  quite  frankly, 
I  can  hardly  imagine  your  facing  such  an  ordeal — but 
surely  there  are  quieter  ways  of  setting  to  work.  What 
about  children,  now — children's  parties?  My  little  nieces 
have  a  party  every  year,  and  it  is  a  serious  business  to 
find  a  change  from  the  everlasting  conjurer  and  magic- 
lantern.  Could  you  not  find  some  songs  which  they  would 
like  to  hear?' 

He  looked  at  her  inquiringly,  and  Hope  stood  still  in 
the  middle  of  the  lane  and  stared  at  him  with  kindling 
eyes.  '  Children ! '  she  whispered  beneath  her  breath — 
'  children  / ' 

It  was  the  prettiest  thing  in  the  world  to  see  the 
different  emotions  chase  each  other  over  the  sweet  face : 
surprise  first,  and  puzzled  questioning;  then  the  gradual 
dawning  of  an  idea,  the  flush  of  radiant  triumph. 

'  Children's  parties !  Oh,  what  an  idea !  What  a  bril- 
liant, brilliant  idea !  Mr  Merrilies,  how  can  I  ever  thank 
you?  I  don't  know  why  I  did  not  think  of  it  myself, 
for  it  is  the  very  thing  I  should  love  above  all  others; 
and  I  believe  I  could  make  it  a  success.' 

She  turned  and  began  to  walk  rapidly  forward,  waving 
her  hands  and  unfolding  her  programme  with  characteristic 
Charrington  enthusiasm. 

'I  know  what  I  will  do — I  know  exactly.  I  will  tell 
them  a  story,  and  sing  descriptive  little  songs  at  intervals. 


148  A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON. 

Theo  shall  write  the  words  and  share  in  the  profits;  and 
the  songs  shall  be  set  to  well-known  airs,  for  children 
love  what  they  know,  and  would  enjoy  joining  in  the 
choruses.  Oh,  it  will  be  charming  !  —  a  new  fairy  tale 
introducing  all  the  dear  old  characters  —  the  Giant  who 
lives  alone  in  his  Castle,  and  eats  up  every  one  who 
comes  in  his  way.  "  Fe-fo-fum  !  "  that  shall  be  his  song  — 
"Fe-fo-fum,  I  smell  the  blood  of  an  Englishman!"  Can't 
you  hear  the  deep  chords  in  the  bass?  Then  there  must 
be  the  Prince,  of  course,  and  the  most  beautiful  Princess 
that  ever  was  seen  - 

'With  golden  hair  and  dark-blue  eyes,'  put  in  the 
listener,  with  a  look  in  his  eyes  that  passed  unnoticed  by 
his  excited  companion. 

'  Yes,  yes  ;  and  —  and  a  wicked  fairy  who  was  not  asked 
to  the  christening,  and  a  good  fairy  who  undid  all  her 
spells.  Theo  will  bring  them  all  in.  I  will  write  to  her 
this  very  night,  for  there  is  not  a  minute  to  be  lost.  I 
shall  have  no  difficulty  in  setting  the  songs  to  music,  and 
should  not  feel  a  scrap  nervous  singing  to  children.  Deai 
little  souls!  What  fun  it  will  be  watching  their  faces 
and  hearing  them  join  in  the  choruses  !  Oh,  what  a 
charming  idea!  Do  you  really  think  any  one  would 
allow  me  to  try  1  ' 

'I  will  give  you  your  first  engagement  now,  at  this 
moment  !  My  sister  will  be  only  too  eager  to  secure  you  ; 
and  she  will  tell  her  friends  of  the  new  idea.  I  shall 

*• 

say  that  your  fee  is  rather  high,  but  that  at  all  costs  you 
must  be  engaged  if  she  wishes  the  party  to  be  a  success. 


\ 


A   SHOOTING   LUNCHEON.  149 

You  must  charge  a  good  deal,  you  know,  or  people  won't 
think  half  so  much  of  you.' 

Hope  looked  at  him  with  shy  delight. 

'  Must  1 1  I  should  like  that.  Mr  Merrilies,  I  am  so 
grateful  to  you  that  I  don't  know  what  to  say.  You  have 
made  me  feel  so  happy.  If  I  get  on  at  all,  it  will  be 
all  your  doing.' 

'It  will  be  nothing  of  the  kind.  I  simply  mentioned 
the  word  children,  and  you  pounced  upon  it  and  evolved 
the  whole  scheme.  There  is  no  gratitude  due  to  me,' 
declared  Ealph  Merrilies  sturdily. 

At  that  moment  voices  broke  upon  the  ear,  and  turning 
a  corner,  they  saw  the  three  remaining  ladies  of  the  party 
walking  back  to  meet  them.  Avice  came  forward  to  ask 
Mr  Merrilies  some  question  about  the  carriage,  while  Truda 
turned  to  Hope  and  studied  her  face  with  gloomy  eyes. 

'You  look  very  jubilant.  What  is  the  matter  with 
you  to-day?' 

'I've  got  an  idea!' 

*  Goodness !  Is  that  all  1  I  've  got  hundreds.'  She 
fell  a  few  steps  behind  the  others,  and  added  resentfully, 
'  You  have  managed  to  keep  him  pretty  well  to  yourself, 
at  any  rate.  He  hasn't  spoken  a  word  to  me  all  day. 
I  don't  call  that  keeping  your  promise.' 


150 


CHAPTEK    XIII. 

PRICKINGS    OP     CONSCIENCE. 

|RUDA  was  very  silent  all  the  way  home ; 
in  plain  words,  she  sulked,  and  refused 
to  give  more  than  monosyllabic  replies  to 
Hope's  gentle  overtures.  When  the  house 
was  reached  she  pleaded  headache — that  convenient  cloak 
for  every  feminine  ill,  from  a  heartache  to  bad  temper 
— and  retired  to  her  room  for  the  remainder  of  the 
afternoon.  Hope  went  into  the  empty  library  and  wrote 
a  long  letter  home,  telling  all  about  her  new  plans, 
asking  Theo's  co-operation,  and  sending  a  list  of  certain 
points  to  which  she  wished  special  attention  to  be  given. 
She  wrote  with  interest,  it  is  true,  but  with  none  of  the 
elation  which  she  had  known  an  hour  earlier ;  for  at  the 
back  of  her  mind  lay  a  consciousness  that  something  dis- 
agreeable lay  before  her — a  painful  situation  to  be  faced 
so  soon  as  leisure  should  be  hers.  When  later  on  she  sat 
before  her  bedroom  fire,  in  the  interval  before  dressing 
for  dinner,  she  stared  into  the  heart  of  the  glowing  coals 
and  thrashed  out  the  subject — quietly,  sweetly,  fairly,  as 
her  nature  was. 

Truda  was  annoyed,   and  considered  that  she   had  been 
unfairly   treated,   in   that    another   had   monopolised   some- 


PRICKINGS    OF    CONSCIENCE.  151 

tiling  to  which  she  possessed  a  prior  claim.  After  that 
first  very  candid  statement  she  had  naturally  relied  on 
the  loyalty  of  the  girl  in  whom  she  had  confided,  and 
although  no  actual  promise  had  been  given,  that  girl  had 
also  considered  herself  bound  in  honour.  Had  she  kept 
faith?  For  the  most  part  Hope  could  honestly  answer  in 
the  affirmative,  but  looking  back  over  the  last  few  days, 
she  acknowledged  that  she  had  been  sufficiently  '  off  guard ' 
to  allow  herself  to  be  monopolised  without  protest,  and  so 
had  engrossed  the  lion's  share  of  Ealph  Merrilies'  atten- 
tion. Without  protest/  The  blood  rushed  over  Hope's 
face  at  the  misleading  sound  of  the  words.  There  had 
been  no  thought  of  protest — no  wish  for  it — nothing  but 
purest  delight  and  satisfaction  in  being  thus  monopolised. 
So  far  from  feeling  any  dismay,  her  heart  had  given  a 
leap  of  triumph  each  time  he  had  come  to  her  side. 
What  did  this  mean?  Did  it — could  it  possibly  be 
falling  in  love?  Was  she  beginning  to  care  more  for 
Ralph  Merrilies  than  for  any  man  whom  she  had  known? 
She  mentally  placed  the  image  of  one  masculine  friend 
after  the  other  beside  this  acquaintance  of  a  week's  stand- 
ing, and  lo !  they  were  as  nothing — their  weal  or  woe 
touched  her  not  at  all,  compared  with  the  lightest  interest 
of  this  comparative  stranger.  Beginning  to  care !  She 
cared  already — cared  with  all  her  heart — cared  more  than 
she  had  even  known  it  was  possible  to  care.  Realising 
this,  Hope  grew  frightened,  and  clasped  trembling  hands 
in  her  lap.  What  madness  was  it,  what  will-o'-the-wisp, 
for  which  she  had  bartered  her  peace?  She,  Hope  Char- 


152  PRICKINGS    OF   CONSCIENCE. 

rington,  poor,  insignificant,  friendless,  and  he  the  owner 
of  a  fine  estate,  handsome,  distinguished,  influential,  with 
the  entree  into  any  society  which  he  desired  to  affect,  the 
world  a  playground  over  which  to  roam  at  will !  With 
such  a  choice  before  him,  such  a  stage  on  which  to  play 
his  life,  how  was  it  possible  that  he  could  cast  a  thought 
in  her  direction1?  What  attention  he  had  paid  her  had 
been  but  that  which  a  man  would  naturally  show  towards 
any  girl  who  happened  to  be  to  him — for  the  time  at 
least — the  most  interesting  member  of  a  house-party. 
Hope  did  not  delude  herself  that  Ralph  had  any  penchant 
for  the  lively  Truda,  but  since  the  two  moved  in  the 
same  circle,  and  had  many  opportunities  of  meeting,  it 
was  possible  that  in  time  to  come  he  might  return  the 
girl's  fancy;  in  any  case  she  could  not  be  the  one  to 
stand  between  them. 

'I'll  go  home,'  decided  Hope  drearily.  'My  time  is 
up  on  Tuesday,  and  though  I  know  Avice  will  beg  me 
to  stay  longer,  this  children's  entertainment  will  be  a 
good  excuse  for  getting  back  to  town.  I'll  keep  out  of 
his  way  as  much  as  possible  until  I  go,  and  forget  all 
about  him  when  I  step  into  the  train.  Ten  days !  Only 
ten  days !  It  must  be  easy  enough  to  forget  a  little  time 
like  that.  It  would  be  cowardly  to  let  ten  days  interfere 
with  one's  life.' 

She  was  very  quiet  that  evening,  very  subdued  all  next 
day,  and  so  much  engrossed  in  helping  her  aunt  that  she 
was  hardly  seen  by  the  rest  of  the  guests  until  evening 
came  round.  That  she  had  been  missed  was  evident,  but 


PRICKINGS   OF    CONSCIENCE.  153 

while  the  other  men  loudly  regretted  her  absence,  and 
plied  her  with  tiresome  questions  as  to  its  cause,  Ralph 
was  silent,  watching  her  face  with  an  anxious  glance,  and 
attending  to  her  comfort  with  even  more  than  his  usual 
quietly  unobtrusive  care.  Hope  felt  that  he  had  divined 
a  secret  trouble,  and  she  was  sure  of  it  the  next  morning 
after  breakfast,  when,  Mrs  Loftus  having  sent  her  into 
the  library  to  write  some  notes,  he  suddenly  remembered 
his  own  correspondence  and  followed  her  into  the  room. 
Hope  would  have  settled  down  to  work  at  once,  but  she 
could  not  be  so  ungracious  as  to  refuse  to  help  in  his 
search  for  some  mislaid  articles,  and  in  the  middle  of 
commonplaces  another  question  was  put,  suddenly,  briefly, 
but  with  an  earnestness  of  manner  which  showed  what 
was  his  real  purpose  in  following  her  to  the  library. 

'You  are  not  yourself;  something  is  troubling  you. 
Have  you  had  bad  news?' 

Hope  fell  back  a  pace  and  looked  at  him  with  startled 
eyes.  Before  his  earnest  scrutiny  ordinary  denials  became 
impossible;  she  could  answer  nothing  but  the  truth. 

'  Not  bad  news — no ;  but  something  troubles  me  a  little. 
Please  take  no  notice;  it  will  pass  away.' 

'Is  it  nothing  in  which  I  can  help?' 

A  faint  smile  flitted  across  Hope's  charming  face,  and 
she  shook  her  golden  head.  'You  are  very  kind,  but' 

'If  I  can  help  at  any  time,  in  any  way,  will  you  give 
me  the  opportunity  ?  "Will  you  believe  that  nothing  could 
possibly  give  me  so  much  pleasure?' 

He  stepped  towards   her  as   he   spoke;  but  even  as  he 


154  PRICKINGS   OP   CONSCIENCE. 

did  so  there  came  from  without  the  sound  of  Truda's 
voice,  loud  and  insistent,  approaching  nearer  and  nearer  to 
the  room.  With  a  shiver  of  dismay,  Hope  realised  that  in 
another  moment  the  door  might  he  thrown  open  and  a 
tite-&-t&te  discovered,  which,  however  innocent  in  reality, 
would  certainly  have  a  romantic  appearance  in  the  eyes  of 
a  beholder.  She  broke  into  a  forced  laugh  and  turned 
aside  to  seat  herself  at  the  desk. 

'  Oh,  thank  you !  You  have  helped  me  already  by  your 
charming  suggestion  about  the  children's  entertainment. 
I  have  written  to  my  sister,  and  hope  to  find  the  story 
ready  when  I  get  home.' 

Even  to  her  own  ears  the  reply  sounded  curt  and 
ungracious,  an  obvious  turning  aside  from  the  point  at 
issue,  and  Ralph  showed  that  he  felt  the  same  by  saying 
no  more,  and  leaving  the  room  as  soon  as  he  had  written 
a  short  note.  It  was  painful  to  be  obliged  to  appear  un- 
gracious, but  painful  things  have  to  be  done  occasionally, 
and  Hope  longed  for  the  day  to  arrive  that  would  put  an 
end  to  her  suffering.  Avice  pleaded  hard  for  an  exten- 
sion of  her  stay,  and  could  only  be  pacified  by  the 
promise  of  a  longer  visit  in  spring,  when  the  lodge  rooms 
were  to  be  furnished  and  the  new  scheme  inaugurated  by 
which  she  was  to  play  the  part  of  fairy  godmother  to 
less  fortunate  girls  than  herself.  That  was  one  good  thing 
that  seemed  likely  to  arise  from  this  visit,  and  it  was 
some  compensation  to  Hope  to  receive  her  cousin's  affec- 
tionate embrace  at  parting,  and  to  hear  her  say,  'Good- 
bye, sweet  Hope.  Don't  forget  me  among  all  your  duties. 


PRICKINGS   OF   CONSCIENCE.  155 

We  shall  be  in  town  again  in  a  fortnight,  and  I  sha'n't 
be  content  unless  you  come  at  least  once  a  week  to  see 
me.  You  have  done  me  lots  of  good.  I'll  try — I  really 
will  try — to  think  more  of  other  people.' 

That  sent  Hope  away  with  a  thankful  heart,  and  with 
courage  to  go  through  the  farewells  downstairs.  Her  new 
friends  seemed  sorry  to  say  good-bye,  but  it  was  not  a 
sorrow  that  would  imperil  their  peace  of  mind.  Truda 
had  received  a  longed-for  invitation  to  a  country-house  in 
the  neighbourhood,  and  was  in  the  highest  of  spirits,  and 
Mr  Merrilies  was  not  present.  Hope  wondered  if  she 
were  not  to  see  him  to  say  good-bye,  but  when  she 
stepped  out  of  the  carriage  on  to  the  platform  of  the 
little  station,  a  tall  figure  appeared  within  the  threshold 
of  the  waiting-room,  and  Ralph  Merrilies  himself  stepped 
forward  to  meet  her. 

'  I  thought  I  would  walk  home  this  way  and  see  you 
off.  Are  you  alone?  Will  you  come  in  here  beside  the 
fire  or  walk  up  and  down?' 

Hope  glanced  at  the  clock,  found  she  had  still  five 
minutes  to  wait,  and  decided  that  it  would  be  less 
embarrassing  to  move  about  than  to  remain  within  the 
confines  of  that  little  room. 

'I  shall  have  to  sit  still  for  the  next  three  hours,  so  I 
think  I  will  walk  about,  please,  if  you  don't  mind.  I 
hope  you  will  have  good  sport  this  afternoon,  and  to- 
morrow at  Benckley.  Did  Miss  Bennett  tell  you  she  had 
received  her  invitation  for  next  week?  She  is  quite 
excited  about  it,  for  so  many  of  Aunt  Emma's  guests  seem 


156  PRICKINGS   OP   CONSCIENCE. 

to  be  going  on  there.  You  are  one  of  the  number,  aren't 
you?' 

'I  think  not.  I  left  it  indefinite,  and  I  rather  fancy 
I  shall  write  to  say  that  I  must  go  home.  I  thought  of 
leaving  The  Shanty  to-morrow  or  Saturday.'  He  was 
silent  for  a  moment,  his  eyes  on  the  ground;  then  he 
said  suddenly,  'You  will  give  me  your  address?  I  must 
have  it  for  my  sister,  who  will  want  to  write  to  you 
about  the  date  of  her  party.' 

'Yes,  of  course.  Thank  you  so  much  for  remembering. 
I  have  not  a  card  in  my  purse,  but  our  number  is  ten — 
No.  10  Whately  Mansions.' 

'And  may  I — will  you  allow  me  to  come  to  see  you 
sometimes?  I  am  often  in  town,  and  it  would  give  me 
so  much  pleasure  ! ' 

He  did  not  look  at  her  as  he  spoke,  and  Hope  was 
thankful  that  he  did  not  see  her  flush  of  dismay.  She 
had  never  anticipated  such  a  request,  and  was  terrified 
by  a  suggestion  that  would  make  all  her  good  resolutions 
of  no  effect.  During  every  hour  of  the  last  three  days 
she  had  congratulated  herself  that  her  time  of  probation 
was  short,  and  that  with  her  return  home  would  come 
back  peace  and  contentment.  What  prospect  of  recovery 
could  there  be,  what  chance  of  work  well  done,  if  the 
expectation  of  Ealph's  coming  was  ever  before  her  as  the 
one  great  possibility  of  the  day?  And  what  would  Truda 
say?  The  thought  that  she  might  perhaps  be  endangering 
Truda's  happiness  nerved  her  to  boldness  of  speech. 

'You   are  very  kind,   but  we   are   business  women,   and 


PRICKINGS   OP   CONSCIENCE.  157 

our  sitting-rooms  are  our  work-rooms  also.  I  fear  we  must 
deny  ourselves  the  pleasure  of  visitors  yet  awhile.' 

She  cast  a  hurried  glance  at  the  clock  to  see  how  many 
of  the  five  minutes  still  remained.  Only  one  !  The  porter 
was  carrying  her  box  to  the  farther  end  of  the  station, 
a  group  of  rustics  were  strolling  out  of  the  ticket-office, 
and  Mr  Merrilies  was  saying  quietly : 

'Art  is  long.  You  find,  as  do  all  her  disciples,  that 
she  demands  undivided  allegiance.  I  shall  look  forward 
to  hearing  the  result  of  your  labours.  Here  is  your 
train.  You  would  like  the  small  bag  in  the  carriage, 
wouldn't  you?' 

There  was  a  note  in  his  voice  which  gave  Hope  actual 
pain  to  hear,  and  the  remembrance  of  his  set  white 
face  was  not  a  pleasant  one  for  her  to  carry  away  on 
her  journey. 


158 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

HOME    AGAIN. 

| HE  little  flat  looked  bright  and  cheery  when 
the  traveller  reached  home.  A  new  lamp- 
shade had  replaced  the  one  which  Mary 
had  hurned,  sixpence-worth  of  flowers  were 
displayed  to  the  utmost  advantage  against  a  background 
of  dried  fern,  and  the  three  sisters  were  beaming 
with  joy  at  the  return  of  their  peacemaker.  They 
asked  questions  steadily  for  an  hour  on  end,  and  even 
then  were  far  from  being  satisfied ;  for,  though  Hope 
smiled  and  declared  that  she  had  had  'a  lovely  time/ 
they  were  vaguely  conscious  of  the  difference  which  she 
herself  felt  only  too  surely.  Hitherto  home  had  meant 
the  centre  of  interest,  and  its  walls  had  practically  bounded 
the  world  ;  now  her  heart  was  a  wanderer,  and  at  every 
pause  in  the  conversation  roved  away  to  that  distant  spot 
where  it  had  found  fresh  anchorage.  Fortunately  for  the 
keeping  of  her  secret,  the  girls  were  enthusiastic  on  the 
subject  of  the  children's  entertainment,  and  encouragingly 
sanguine  of  success.  Theo  had  finished  writing  the  story, 
and  read  it  aloud  after  dinner  to  an  appreciative  audience, 
who  unanimously  decided  that  she  must  give  her  attention 
to  children's  stories  forthwith,  since  nothing  more  poeti- 


HOME   AGAIN.  159 

cally  graceful,  and  at  the  same  time  interesting  and  excit- 
ing, could  be  wished  to  while  away  the  children's  hour. 
Hope  was  humming  over  the  refrain  of  a  chorus,  and 
trying  to  decide  which  of  two  well-known  airs  would  be 
more  suitable,  when  Madge  drew  a  sheet  of  paper  from 
a  portfolio  and  held  it  towards  her  with  conscious  pride. 

'My  share  in  the  Amalgamated  Sisters'  Enterprise, 
Limited !  I  never  like  to  be  out  of  a  good  thing,  so, 
though  I  was  not  asked,  I  determined  to  have  a  finger 
in  the  pie.  You  will  want  some  sort  of  advertisement  to 
take  round  to  entertainment  agencies,  and  to  distribute 
among  friends.  There  you  are  ! ' 

There  Hope  was  indeed,  for  Madge  was  never  more 
happy  than  when  she  could  give  full  play  to  her  fancy. 
For  years  past  she  had  amused  herself  by  designing  artis- 
tic programmes  for  the  small  bazaars  and  concerts  that 
had  taken  place  at  her  country  home,  so  that  she  had 
experience  as  well  as  interest  to  help  her  on  this  occasion. 
Hope  grew  quite  pink  with  pleasure  and  embarrassment  as 
she  looked  down  the  sheet  and  tried  to  realise  that  she 
herself  was  the  performer  of  whom  it  spoke. 

*Tell  me  a  story/'  ran  the  heading,  in  quaint,  uneven 
lettering ;  while  immediately  underneath  came  a  sketch  of 
two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl,  with  hands  outstretched 
as  though  they  were  offering  the  petition.  Madge  had 
copied  the  figures  from  an  old  sketch,  altering  only  the 
dress  to  suit  the  occasion;  and  a  dainty  little  pair  they 
made,  most  eloquent  in  their  dumb  entreaty.  Beneath 
came  more  lettering,  setting  forth  that  Miss  Hope  Char- 


160  HOME   AGAIN. 

rington,  the  children's  entertainer,  was  prepared  to  give 
her  charming  recitals  at  Christmas  parties,  hazaars,  or 
charity  gatherings  for  the  sum  of  two  guineas  an  hour. 
A  waving,  ribbon-like  border  edged  the  sheet,  held  up  at 
the  corners  by  four  characters  dear  to  the  childish  heart 
— the  Prince,  the  Princess,  the  Fairy,  and  the  Giant. 

'  Madge,  you  darling  !  How  perfectly  lo — ovely  ! '  gasped 
Hope,  in  delight.  '  So  clever,  so  dainty,  so — so  beautifully 
professional  1  But  oh,  dare  I  ?  "  Charming  recital "  !  Sup- 
pose it  is  a  terrible  failure.  "  Children's  entertainer " ! 
I  have  never  entertained  any  one  in  my  life.  Suppose 
I  were  to  break  down.' 

'Practice  makes  perfect.  Of  course,  you  will  have  to 
try  your  hand.  The  vicar  of  St  Giles's  called  on  us 
yesterday,  and  asked  if  we  would  help  in  the  parish.  I 
asked — just  as  a  feeler — if  he  would  like  a  treat  for  the 
school  children,  and  he  snatched  at  the  idea.  You  are  to 
let  him  know  what  you  can  do;  and  if  you  run  the 
blockade  of  his  street-arabs  you  need  fear  no  longer. 
They  won't  pretend  to  be  amused  if  they  are  not,  that 
is  certain.' 

'  It  will  be  pleasant  for  me  if  they  hoot  in  the  middle ! 
But  I'll  put  my  feelings  in  my  pocket  and  do  my  very 
best.  I  must  do  something  with  my  life,  and  I  am  deter- 
mined that  nervousness  sha'n't  stand  in  my  way;'  and 
Hope  sighed  once  more — the  short,  stabbing  little  sigh  that 
had  come  so  often  since  her  return. 

When  the  sisters  retired  to  bed  that  evening  Theo 
chatted  pleasantly  about  ordinary  matters  until  the  gas 


HOME    AGAIN.  161 

was  put  out ;  then  she  stretched  out  an  arm,  and  asked  in 
a  tenderer  tone  than  was  often  heard  from  her  lips : 

'What  is  it,  deary?  What  is  the  trouble?  Can  you 
tell  me?' 

'Oh  Theo,  how  did  you  know?'  cried  poor  Hope 
guiltily.  'I  thought  I  had  hidden  it  so  well.' 

And  then  out  it  came — the  poor  little  love-story,  that 
was  hardly  a  love-story  at  all,  but  only  a  'might  have 
been ; '  the  happiness  of  those  few  days,  the  awakening, 
the  bitter  wrench  of  parting.  The  soft  voice  trembled  as 
it  came  to  the  end  of  the  story,  and  a  little  sob  was 
swallowed  with  the  last  words :  '  He  was  hurt !  I  could 
see  he  was  hurt.  There  was  a  sort  of  strained  look  on  his 
face  as  he  stood  looking  after  the  train.  Oh  Theo,  do 
you  think  I  did  right?  Do  you  think  I  have  made  a 
mistake?' 

Theo's  arm  pressed  tenderly  against  the  heaving  shoulder. 
'I  think,'  she  said  quietly — 'I  think  you  did  what  seemed 
to  you  best  at  the  time,  and  what  was  very  hard  to  do; 
and  that,  having  done  it,  you  must  not  regret.  When 
you  have  chosen  the  narrow  way,  dear,  you  must  not 
look  back.' 

'No,'  said  Hope  faintly;  'but  still — I  can't — help — re- 
gretting. It  is  cowardly,  Theo,  but  he  was  so I 

liked  him  so  very  much.  Do  you  think  it  is  all  over — 
that  I  shall  never  see  him  again?' 

'He  can  see  you  at  his  sister's  next  month  if  he  wishes 
to.  Try  to  put  him  out  of  your  mind  until  then.  Work 
hard,  and  let  off  steam  to  me  when  you  feel  particularly 

Genius.  K 


162  HOME    AGAIN. 

blue.  This  new  plan  is  going  to  be  a  success ;  I  feel 
convinced  of  it.' 

Theo  was  too  prudent  to  give  more  definite  comfort, 
but  when  by  herself  she  laughed  scornfully  at  the  idea 
that  a  solitary  refusal  could  discourage  a  true  lover.  If 
this  Mr  Merrilies  had  been  simply  attracted  by  a  pretty 
face,  and  was  likely  to  forget  the  fancy  as  quickly  as 
it  was  formed,  why,  then,  the  less  Hope  thought  of  him 
the  better.  But  the  artless  narrative  had  given  Theo  a 
different  impression  of  his  feelings.  Dear,  modest  Hope 
had  no  idea  of  her  own  winsome  charm,  but  her  sister 
felt  it  impossible  that  a  man  of  taste  could  live  in  the 
same  house,  learn  the  unselfish  sweetness  of  her  disposi- 
tion, share  in  her  light-hearted  gaiety,  and  watch  the 
different  emotions  flit  over  her  face  as  she  sang,  and  still 
call  his  heart  his  own.  'If  he  is  a  thousand  times  all 
she  thinks  him,  he  is  not  good  enough  for  Hope,'  she 
told  herself  proudly.  'But  oh,  what  a  comfort  it  would 
be  if  she  married  happily,  and  had  no,  need  to  fight  for 
her  bread !  She  is  too  sensitive  to  bear  the  "  heart-break- 
ing" that  is  my  apprenticeship.' 

The  slow  tears  rose  in  Theo's  eyes  and  trickled  on  to 
the  pillow.  The  '  worrying  story '  had  been  returned  for 
the  third  time.  It  was  looking  quite  dog-eared  and 
shabby ! 


163 


CHAPTER    XV. 

ENTER      THE      HERMIT. 

|HE  next  morning  Hope  and  Thco  seated 
themselves  at  the  piano,  and  tried  over 
the  songs  which  were  to  be  included  in 
the  musical  recital.  The  words  had  been 
written  to  fit  certain  tunes,  but  on  singing  them  over 
little  hitches  and  awkwardnesses  were  discovered,  which 
made  it  necessary  to  reconstruct  certain  lines  or  intro- 
duce a  new  word  for  an  old.  As  Philippa  sat  darning 
stockings  in  the  dining-room,  she  smiled  to  herself  at 
the  sound  of  the  disconnected  snatches  of  song  and  the 
monotonous  repetition  of  airs  which  were  in  such  strange 
contrast  to  the  classical  music  in  which  Hope  delighted. 
All  the  same,  the  refrains  were  very  catching;  and  when 
the  '  Giant's  Song '  was  practised  in  its  turn,  Philippa  found 
herself  instinctively  swelling  the  chorus,  and  emphasising 
the  last  words  of  the  lines  in  merry,  schoolgirl  fashion: 
'Whether  he  be  alive,  or  whether  he  be  dead, 
I'll  have  his  bona  to  make  my  bread!' 

At  lunch-time  author  and  composer  made  their  appear- 
ance, rather  blue  as  to  complexion  and  red  as  to  finger- 
tips— for  the  luxury  of  a  fire  in  the  drawing-room  could 
not  be  indulged  in  before  three  o'clock  at  the  earliest — 


164  ENTER    THE    HERMIT. 

but    jubilantly    pleased    with     themselves,    and    with    the 
improvements  which  they  had  accomplished. 

The  next  thing  on  the  programme  was  to  have  a 
number  of  circulars  lithographed  for  distribution,  and  for 
these  Hope  proposed  to  arrange  that  very  afternoon, 
Madge  accompanying  her,  the  better  to  give  instructions. 
'I  can  pay  for  them  out  of  uncle's  present,'  she  explained 
smilingly.  'He  drove  down  to  the  lodge  with  me,  and 
slipped  a  note  in  my  bag  in  his  usual  fussy,  discon- 
nected fashion.  "Something  to  pay  your  fare,  my  dear — 
just  to  pay  your  fare !  Serious  thing  to  live  upon 
capital !  Mustn't  allow  you  to  be  out  of  pocket  by 
visiting  us."  I  thought  it  would  be  a  couple  of  sove- 
reigns just  to  cover  expenses,  and  forgot  to  open  the 
envelope  until  just  now  when  I  was  getting  ready  for 
lunch  and  wanted  something  out  of  the  bag.  Then  I 
came  across  it,  and  what  do  you  think  I  found?  A 
ten-pound  note  !  Wasn't  it  sweet  of  the  little  mannikin  1 ' 
'  Very  decent.  Fancy  your  forgetting  about  it !  I 
should  have  torn  it  open  the  moment  his  back  was 
turned/  cried  Madge  in  amazement,  while  Hope  sighed 
at  the  remembrance  of  how  her  thoughts  had  been 
occupied.  It  was  a  relief  to  be  up  and  doing,  and  she 
started  on  the  important  expedition  directly  after  lunch. 
Theo  turned  out  also  in  search  of  adventure,  while  the 
busy  housekeeper  toiled  away  at  her  basket  of  mending, 
building  castles  in  the  air  about  that  happy  time  when 
her  fledglings  would  be  full-grown  geniuses,  and  poverty 
and  anxiety  known  no  more. 


ENTER    THE    HERMIT.  165 

Three  o'clock  struck,  and  almost  at  the  same  moment 
came  the  sound  of  the  electric  bell-  to  startle  Philippa 
in  the  midst  of  her  dreams.  In  response  to  the  summons 
the  little  maid  went  to  the  door,  and  a  man's  voice 
was  heard  inquiring  if  Miss  Charrington  was  at  home. 
Philippa  gasped  in  dismay,  and  offered  up  a  mental 
prayer  that  Mary  would  remember  to  show  the  visitor 
into  the  drawing-room.  But  Mary  had  no  intention  of 
doing  anything  of  the  kind.  Of  experience  she  had  none, 
but  her  sense  of  fitness  told  her  that  when  a  gentleman 
wished  to  see  the  missus  he  should  be  shown  into  her 
presence  as  speedily  as  possible.  She  opened  the  door 
of  the  dining-room  for  about  the  space  of  six  inches, 
peered  round  the  corner,  announced,  '  Here 's  a  gentle- 
man,' and  promptly  retired  to  her  lair,  leaving  the 
stranger  standing  on  the  mat.  Philippa  groaned  in  spirit 
over  her  own  negligence,  vowed  that  not  another  day 
should  elapse  before  Mary  was  instructed  in  the  art  of 
introducing  visitors,  and  walked  forward  to  discover  the 
identity  of  the  stranger. 

Alas !  the  first  glance  brought  a  prevision  of  trouble ; 
she  saw  before  her  the  stooping  form,  the  thin,  cadaverous 
face  of  the  'Hermit,'  occupant  of  No.  9.  He  bowed; 
she  bowed,  invited  him  into  the  room  by  a  wave  of 
the  hand,  and  stood  before  him  in  questioning  silence. 
Seen  close  at  hand,  the  Hermit  was  younger  and  less 
austere  than  he  had  appeared  from  a  distance;  his 
features,  though  emaciated,  were  delicately  moulded,  and 
the  eyes  that  looked  out  of  the  hollow  caverns  were 


166  ENTER    THE    HERMIT. 

bright  and  alert  with  life.  It  was  the  face  of  a  man. 
whose  body  was  the  slave  of  his  brain — a  man  who 
forgot  his  meals  in  the  interest  of  work ;  who  turned 
day  into  night,  and  persistently  ignored  physical  ills — a 
striking  contrast  to  the  girl  beside  him,  Avith  her  glowing 
cheeks  and  tall,  well-developed  figure. 

'  You  wished  to  see  me  ? '  asked  Philippa,  to  end  the 
silence.  The  Hermit  coughed  nervously,  and  turning  his 
hat  to  and  fro,  flicked  the  dust  from  the  brim. 

'  I — er — yes.  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  personal 
interview  was  necessary.  I  have  tried — er — other  means 
of  protest,  but,  as  you  are  aware,  without  success.  The 
case  in  point  is — er — briefly  this,  that  I  cannot  any 
longer  submit  to  the  annoyance  which  I  have  suffered 
since  you  have  taken  possession  of  this  flat,  and  by 
which  my  work  is  seriously  interrupted.  The  ordinary 
noise  of  a  household  I  must,  of  course,  endure,  but  that 
is  a  different  thing  from  wilful,  intentional  disturbance.' 

'  Wilful !  Intentional ! '  Philippa's  cheeks  grew  rosy 
red,  and  she  squared  her  shoulders  in  her  old  determined 
fashion.  All  the  danger-signals  were  flying,  and  if  any 
members  of  the  family  had  been  present  they  would  have 
given  little  indeed  for  the  chances  of  the  stranger  in  the 
battle  which  loomed  ahead.  '  I  think  you  can  htrdly 
mean  to  insult  me  by  insinuating  that  we  have  deliberately 
tried  to  annoy  a  neighbour,  however  wanting  in  courtesy 
we  may  have  found  him.  I  presume  the  immediate 
reason  of  this  complaint  was  the  music  this  morning; 
but  I  may  remind  you  that  for  the  last  ten  days  the 


ENTER    THE    HERMIT.  167 

piano  has  not  been  opened,  as  my  sister  was  from  home. 
Does  it  not  strike  you  as  somewhat  unreasonable  to  com- 
plain if  a  neighbour  plays  the  piano  once  in  a  fortnight?' 

'  I  was  not  aware  that  the  interval  had  been  so  long ; 
but  even  so,  there  ought  to  be  moderation  in  all  things. 
People  who  live  in  these  establishments  ought  to  remember 
that,  however  gratifying  to  their  own  tastes  it  may  be  to 
sing  comic  songs  for  hours  at  a  stretch ' — the  thin  lips 
curved  into  a  barely  concealed  sneer — 'it  may  be  a  most 
painful  penance  for  their  neighbours.' 

'Even  so,  I  am  afraid  it  was  necessary  in  this  case. 
My  sisters  were  not  practising  for  their  own  amusement; 
strange  to  say,  they  also  were  at  work.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  go  into  details,  but  I  can  assure  you  that  what 
they  were  doing  was  as  important  to  them  as  your  studies 
are  to  yourself.  You  misjudged  them  altogether  if  you 
supposed  they  were  performing  for  your  edification.' 

'  I  am  sorry  if  I  have  made  a  mistake ;  though,  of 
course,  this  was  only  one  occasion  out  of  many.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  I  did  not  intend  to  speak  of  music 
primarily,  but  of  the  other  noises,  which  are  more 
difficult  to  explain  :  a  constant  tapping  outside  my  study 
window,  for  instance,  which  has  a  most  trying  effect  on 
the  nerves,  and  has  made  connected  thought  impossible 
every  evening  during  the  last  week ;  and  an  extraordinary 
jarring  sound  which  wakes  me  out  of  sleep  before  it  is 
light,  so  that  not  only  is  my  day's  work  marred,  but 
my  nights  are  disturbed  into  the  bargain.' 

Philippa   rested   her  hands   on   the   table   and  stared   at 


168  ENTER   THE   HERMIT. 

him  with  distended  eyes.  Was  the  man  mad?  Was  he 
one  of  those  morbid  creatures  who  develop  hallucinations 
in  their  lonely  hours,  and  who,  having  once  become 
possessed  of  an  idea,  proceed  to  nurse  and  coddle  it  into 
a  full-grown  mania  ?  She  tried  to  keep  calm  and  cool, 
but  her  voice  vibrated  with  indignation. 

'And  do  you  seriously  mean  to  tell  me  that  you 
believe  us  to  be  responsible?  Do  you  blame  its  because 
something  has  gone  wrong  with  your  window-frame,  or 
because  the  noises  in  the  street  disturb  you  in  the 
morning?  They  disturb  me  too.  I  can  rarely  sleep  after 
five  o'clock,  but  I  have  certainly  never  dreamt  of  blaming 
you  for  the  fact.  You  cannot  possibly  mean  that  you 
think ' 

'  I  do  more  than  think :  I  am  as  sure  as  it  is  possible 
to  be.  It  is  no  ordinary  street  noise  which  wakens  me, 
but  something  much  nearer,  and  more  jarring.  It  appears 
to  be  immediately  outside  my  window,  and  it  happens 
once  each  morning — and  only  once — sometimes  at  five, 
sometimes  later,  sometimes  earlier  still.  With  regard  to 
the  tapping,  it  has  never  happened  before;  and  so  far 
as  I  am  aware,  nothing  is  wrong  with  my  window.  I 
believe,  as  I  said  before,  that  both  these  noises  are  the 
result  of  intention,  not  accident.' 

Philippa  looked  at  him  steadily  with  her  bright,  dark 
eyes.  'And  suppose,'  she  said  quietly — 'suppose  I  tell 
you  in  return  that  you  are  entirely  mistaken,  and  that 
we  have  nothing  to  do  with  either  one  or  the  other. 
What  then?  Will  you  refuse  to  believe  me?' 


The  two  stared  at  one  another  in  silence,  like  couibatante  measuring 
strength  for  a  fight. 

PAGK  1«'A 


ENTER    THE    HERMIT.  169 

The  two  stared  at  one  another  in  silence,  like  com- 
batants measuring  strength  for  a  fight  It  was  the  man 
whose  eyes  were  the  first  to  fall,  the  man  who  first 
showed  signs  of  relenting. 

'Of  course,  if  you  give  me  your  word,  Miss  Charrington, 
I  am  bound  to  take  it.' 

'Then  I  give  you  my  word,  Mr  Neil,  that  we  are 
absolutely  innocent  of  annoying  you  in  the  way  you 
describe.' 

The  Hermit  bowed,  laid  his  hat  on  the  table,  and 
fumbled  nervously  with  his  coat. 

'I  can  only  say  that  the  matter  is  most  mysterious 
and  annoying.  Perhaps,  however,  you  will  be  willing  to 
promise  that  in  other  respects  you  will  be  more  considerate 
for  the  future,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to  work  with  less 
disturbance  from  the  noise  overhead?' 

'I  am  afraid  I  cannot  see  my  way  to  giving  any  such 
promise,  for  I  fail  to  see  how  we  can  be  quieter  without 
interfering  with  our  own  duties.  I  have  three  sisters, 
and  music  is  the  profession  by  which  one  of  them  hopes 
to  make  a  living.  If  she  gave  up  practising  it  would 
seriously  injure  her  prospects.  The  others  are  busy  all 
day  long,  and  naturally  wish  for  a  little  relaxation  at 
night.  Although  you  give  us  no  credit  for  consideration, 
I  may  tell  you  that  we  are  constantly  calling  our  young 
brother  to  order  in  case  he  should  disturb  you,  but  I 
should  not  feel  it  right  to  make  home  dull  and  cheerless 
by  forbidding  any  noise  whatever.' 

'It   does    not    occur    to    you    that   under   those   circum- 


170  ENTER    THE    HERMIT. 

stances   you   are   hardly  the   right   tenants   for   a  flat,   but 
ought  to  be  in  a  house  of  your  own  ? ' 

'It  occurs  to  me  that  we  are  the  best  judges  of  our 
own  actions,'  returned  Philippa  icily,  fighting  down  the 
wild  longing  that  arose,  even  as  she  spoke,  for  a  place 
of  their  own — a  nest,  however  small,  where  they  might 
dwell  in  peace  and  freedom.  'You  are  not  the  only 
tenant,  Mr  Neil,  who  has  to  endure  disagreeables  from  his 
neighbours;  we  also  might  find  ground  for  complaint,  if 
we  wished  to  be  disagreeable.  My  sisters  sleep  above 
your  study,  and  they  say  you  keep  poking  the  fire  until 
two  in  the  morning  and  waking  them  up  with  a  start. 
Then,  too,  you  have  a  hanging  lamp  or  chandelier  which 
you  push  up,  and  which  makes  a  most  unpleasant  noise ; 
and  in  the  autumn  evenings  you  smoked  strong  cigars  on 
your  balcony  until  we  were  poisoned  with  the  smell. 
Oh,  there  are  a  thousand  things  which  I  could  mention,' 
cried  Philippa — though  in  truth  she  would  have  been 
puzzled  to  add  one  more  complaint  to  her  list — 'but  I 
would  not  stoop  to  it !  It  is  too  miserably  petty  and 
degrading  to  be  everlastingly  picking  quarrels.  I  am  sick 
of  it.' 

'Not  more  heartily  than  I  am.  I  have  lived  in  these 
buildings  for  nearly  ten  years  and  have  only  once  before 
made  a  complaint — which,  I  may  remark,  was  met  in  a 
very  different  spirit.'  The  Hermit  was  evidently  growing 
ruffled  in  his  turn,  and  could  not  resist  a  parting  shot 
before  he  left  the  room.  'As  I  said  before,  I  should  be 
sorry  to  have  to  complain  at  headquarters,  but  I  do  not 


ENTER    THE    HERMIT.  171 

intend  to  have  my  comfort  ruined  by  new-comers  who 
have  no  claim  on  the  establishment.  If  it  becomes  im- 
possible for  us  both  to  live  under  one  roof,  I  have  little 
doubt  who  would  be  asked  to  remain.' 

He  was  gone.  The  door  closed  behind  him,  and 
Pliilippa  sank  into  a  chair  with  a  sudden  feeling  of 
collapse.  '  Oh !  oh  ! '  she  cried,  and  her  hands  went  up 
to  her  head,  and  her  breath  grew  short  and  strangled. 
All  her  pride  and  independence  were  swept  aside  by  the 
remembrance  of  those  last  pregnant  words :  '  Impossible 
for  us  both — little  doubt  in  whose  favour ! '  Suppose — 
oh,  suppose,  the  Hermit  complained  to  the  committee, 
and  she  were  served  with  a  notice  to  quit !  Suppose, 
with  one  set  of  bills  barely  settled,  she  were  called  upon 
to  incur  a  second !  With  characteristic  Charrington  im- 
petuosity she  beheld  ruin  stalk  towards  her,  and  the 
faces  of  brothers  and  sisters  filled  with  a  pale  reproach. 
Her  head  dropped  forward  on  to  the  table;  the  tears 
rolled  down  her  cheeks.  She  was  just  about  to  indulge 
in  the  luxury  of  a  good  cry,  when  suddenly  there  was 
a  sound  in  the  room,  an  exclamation  of  distress,  and 
there  stood  the  Hermit,  picking  up  the  hat  which  still 
lay  on  the  table,  and  murmuring  disconnected  sentences 
of  explanation. 

'  I  forgot  my  hat.  The  door  was  still  open ;  I  forgot 

to  shut  it.  I  turned  back Crying !  I  hope  that  I 

— that  nothing  that  I  have  said I  should  be  most 

distressed ' 

Pliilippa   stared   at   him   helplessly.     Her   impulse  was  to 


172  ENTER    THE    HERMIT. 

deny  the  suggestion  with  scorn,  but  how  was  that  pos- 
sible with  the  tears  rolling  down  her  cheeks?  She  tried 
to  control  herself,  to  steady  her  voice  sufficiently  to  reply, 
but  the  floodgates  were  open  and  could  not  be  restrained. 
An  agony  of  dread  seized  her  lest  she  should  humiliate 
herself  still  further,  and,  pointing  to  the  door  with  child- 
like helplessness,  she  sobbed  out  a  pitiful  'Please,  go — 
please,  go ! '  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands. 

The  Hermit  crept  back  to  his  room,  but  he  could  not 
work.  Between  himself  and  his  books  rose  the  vision 
of  a  girl's  face,  tremulous  and  tearfuL  The  dark  eyes 
looked  into  his  with  pathetic  reproach.  He  called  himself 
a  brute  and  a  coward  for  having  dared  to  distress  her. 


173 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE   CULPRIT    DISCOVERED. 

JJCTING  on  the  rule  of  all  good  housewives, 
Philippa  breathed  no  word  of  the  unpleasant 
incident  of  the  afternoon  until  dinner  was 
over,  and  the  workers  had  been  fed  and 
rested  after  their  day's  labours.  Stephen,  it  is  true, 
noted  the  pucker  on  her  brow,  and  questioned  her 
dumbly  across  the  table;  but  she  frowned  a  warning,  and 
eagerly  questioned  the  girls  as  to  the  success  of  their 
expedition.  The  circulars,  it  appeared,  were  promised  in 
a  week's  time;  and  pending  their  arrival  Hope  had  called 
on  the  vicar  on  the  way  home,  and  arranged  to  give  her 
first  performance  to  the  members  of  his  infant  class  on 
the  following  Monday.  She  had  confided  to  him  her 
anxiety  to  rehearse  her  entertainment,  and  he  had  laugh- 
ingly promised  to  find  her  occupation  for  as  many  nights 
as  she  liked  to  give,  either  in  his  own  parish  or  in  those 
neighbouring  ones  which  were  even  more  in  need  of 
help. 

'So  you  will  gain  experience  and  do  good  at  the  same 
time — a  most  agreeable  arrangement,'  said  Philippa,  smiling. 
'The  next  thing  is  to  buy  yourself  a  really  smart  frock 
with  the  remainder  of  Uncle  Loftus's  cheque,  so  that  you 


174  THE    CULPRIT    DISCOVERED. 

may  be  ready  for  the  social  engagements  when  they  come. 
You  have  nothing  suitable,  and  in  this  case  it  is  a  duty 
to  be  provided  with  the  prettiest  and  most  becoming 
gown  you  can  find.' 

'  That 's  the  sort  of  duty  I  should  like.  I  could  be 
a  martyr  to  it  if  I  had  the  chance,'  cried  Madge,  with  a 
sigh.  'No  mortal  being  knows  how  it  harrows  my  artistic 
soul  to  wear  ugly  clothes,  I  sometimes  feel  inclined  to 
kneel  down  and^  do  obeisance  before  the  dresses  in  the 
Bond  Street  shops.  And  they  look  so  lovely  just  now ! 
I've  had  a  horrible  temptation  sometimes  to  ask  for 
things  to  be  sent  on  approval,  just  for  the  pleasure  of 
trying  them  on  and  seeing  how  I  look  in  them.' 

'Do  you  think  it  is  an  honourable  thing  to  send  for 
things  that  you  have  no  earthly  intention  of  buying?' 
asked  Philippa  the  literal,  with  a  solemn  air,  which 
delighted  her  mischievous  sister. 

'No,  I  don't;  I  think  it's  a  mean  trick.  But  I'm  so 
dull !  I  want  to  do  something  reckless  for  a  change. 
You  needn't  alarm  yourself,  Philippa;  if  I  wrote  asking 
for  a  selection  of  Court  dresses  to  be  sent  on  approval 
to  an  address  off  the  Tottenham  Court  Road,  they  wouldn't 
pay  much  attention  to  the  order,  I'm  afraid.' 

Theo  thought  not,  indeed;  while  Hope  looked  pained 
and  penitent,  and  said,  'I  seem  to  have  all  the  changes 
— all  the  good  things.  I  suppose  I  ought  to  dress  for 
the  part.  But  remember  the  "Amalgamated  Sisters"! 
Whatever  I  gain  must  be  divided  in  equal  shares.' 

'If  you   want   excitement,   it   is   a   pity  you   weren't   at 


THE    CULPRIT    DISCOVERED.  175 

home  this  afternoon,  Madge,'  said  Philippa.  Dinner  was 
over  by  this  time,  and  she  felt  free  to  unhurden  her 
mind  and  receive  the  longed-for  sympathy.  'I  had  an 
adventure  all  to  myself,  and  found  it  more  exciting  than 
I  liked.  The  Hermit  called,  and  Mary  announced  him 
in  her  own  original  fashion — that  is  to  say,  left  him 
standing  on  the  mat.  He  came  to  lodge  some  more  com- 
plaints, and  we  had  a  row  royal.  -I  think  he  is  mad, 
for  he  made  the  most  extraordinary  statements.  But  he 
is  worse  than  mad ;  he  is  dangerous,  and  means  to 
complain  and  get  us  turned  out  if  he  can.  There  is 
not  the  slightest  ground  for  his  complaints,  but  he  is 
an  old  tenant  and  we  are  new,  and  it  is  only  natural 
that  his  word  should  be  taken  before  ours.' 

'Don't  worry  yourself  about  that,  old  girl,'  said  Stephen 
kindly.  'I  have  not  the  slightest  fear  of  being  turned 
out.  Neighbours  in  flats  are  constantly  having  these  little 
frictions,  and  the  authorities  must  turn  a  deaf  ear  to 
complaints  if  they  wish  to  succeed  or  to  have  any 
peace  in  life.  I'll  go  down  some  night  and  talk  to  the 
old  fellow,  and  see  if  I  can  bring  him  to  reason.  We 
have  been  so  quiet,  too,  since  Hope  went  away.  What 
on  earth  did  he  find  to  grumble  about?' 

'  Oh,  my  dear,  the  wildest  fancies !  He  didn't  like 
Hope  practising  the  children's  songs  this  morning,  and 
was  blightingly  superior  about  her  taste;  but  the  worst 
grievance  is  that  there  is  a  tapping  at  his  study  window 
which  gets  on  his  nerves,  and  that  something  wakes  him 
up  every  morning  before  it  is  light.  It  sounds  too 


176  THE    CULPRIT    DISCOVERED. 

ridiculous  to  be  true,  but  he  actually  supposed  that  we 
were  responsible.' 

'What  utter  folly!'  began  Stephen  angrily;  but  the 
next  moment  he  stopped  short,  and  with  one  accord 
four  pairs  of  eyes  followed  his  towards  the  corner  of 
the  room  where  Barney  sat — shaking,  red-faced,  apoplectic. 
'  Barney  t '  cried  the  head  of  the  house  in  a  terrible 
voice.  'What  is  the  meaning  of  this?  Do  you  mean  to 
say  that  this  is  your  doing?  Have  you  had  any  hand 
in  this  business?  Speak  up  this  moment.' 

'  I  should  think  I  had ! '  cried  Barney.  '  Both  hands 
in  it !  Didn't  I  vow  when  Hope  went  away  that  I 
would  find  some  plan  of  keeping  the  old  fellow  occupied? 
I  flatter  myself  that  I  hit  on  something  original  this 
time,  and  secured  a  fine  effect  with  next  to  no  trouble. 
The  tapping  was  made  by  a  little  lead  weight  hung  on 
the  end  of  a  string  fastened  outside  the  girls'  window. 
It  swung  about  in  the  air,  just  at  the  top  of  his  panes, 
and  when  there  was  a  breeze,  tapped  away  like  a  machine. 
I  fastened  it  up  one  day,  and  left  it  to  do  its  work. 
It's  there  still,  if  you  choose  to  look.  The  waking-up 
business  was  more  difficult.  I  found  out,  by  watching 
the  lights  at  night,  that  he  slept  beneath  my  room,  and 
I  borrowed  an  alarum  from  a  fellow  in  the  office.  I  told 
him  why  I  wanted  it,  and  he  nearly  died  with  laughing. 
I  set  it  for  different  hours,  and  lowered  it  down  by  a 
cord  so  that  it  lay  against  the  pane.  I  left  my  window 
open,  and  when  it  went  off  it  woke  me  too,  and  I 
hopped  out  of  bed  and  pulled  it  up  before  he  opened  his 


THE   CULPRIT   DISCOVERED.  177 

window.  It  was  too  dark  for  him  to  see  anything,  but 
I  could  hear  him  muttering  to  himself  in  a  tearing  rage. 
It  came  off  splendidly,  but  I  'm  not  sorry  to  give  up  that 
part  of  the  business,  for  it  was  jolly  cold  getting  out  of 
bed  and  standing  by  that  open  window.  It  isn't  good 
enough  in  this  weather;'  and  Barney  doubled  himself  up 
in  another  burst  of  laughter  at  the  success  of  his  plot. 

For  once  nobody  joined  in  the  chorus;  the  girls  were 
dumb  and  horrified,  while  Stephen  was  filled  with  righteous 
indignation. 

'Stop  laughing  this  moment,  sir,'  he  cried  sternly. 
'You  have  done  mischief  enough;  don't  make  it  worse 
by  triumphing  over  it.  If  you  have  not  enough  considera- 
tion for  your  sisters  to  teach  you  how  to  behave,  I  must 
find  some  other  way  of  keeping  you  in  order.  I  won't 
have  the  peace  of  the  house  ruined  and  Philippa  worried 
to  death.' 

'  Leave  him  to  me,  please,  Steve,'  said  Philippa  quietly. 
She  walked  forward  until  she  stood  immediately  before 
Barney,  and  the  smile  faded  from  the  boy's  lips  as  he 
saw  her  face.  She  was  not  flushed  as  he  had  often  seen 
her  under  the  stress  of  passing  irritation,  but  white — 
deadly  white — with  a  look  in  her  eyes  before  which  his 
own  fell  to  the  ground. 

'You  have  made  me  tell  a  lie,'  she  said  slowly.  'Do 
you  hear?  I  gave  Mr  Neil  my  word  that  we  had  had 
no  part  in  these  annoyances.  He  did  not  want  to  believe 
me,  but  I  made  him;  I  gave  him  my  word.  I  will  not 
wait  a  minute  before  going  to  him  and  apologising  for 

Genius.  L 


178  THE   CULPRIT   DISCOVERED. 

saying  what  was  not  true.  Get  up !  Come  downstairs 
with  me.  You  shall  tell  him  the  whole  story  as  you 
have  told  it  to  us,  and  ask  his  pardon  like  a  gentleman. 
Are  you  coming?' 

Barney  scowled  and  looked  at  her  darkly ;  he  opened 
his  lips  to  say  that  he  would  do  nothing  of  the  kind, 
but  Philippa  looked  at  him  again,  and  the  words  died 
away.  She  walked  to  the  door,  and  he  marched  after 
her ;  she  held  it  open,  and  he  passed  through.  They 
stood  together  before  the  Hermit's  door,  and  Philippa 
pressed  her  fingers  on  the  bell. 


179 


CHAPTER    XVIL 

REHEARSALS. 

fALF-AN-HOUK  passed  by,  fraught  with  the 
deepest  suspense  and  anxiety  to  the  waiting 
party  in  No.  10;  then  Philippa's  step  was 
heard  running  up  the  stairs,  and  in  she 
came,  white  no  longer,  but  smiling,  rosy,  abeam  with 
complacency. 

1  Where  is  Barney  ? '  cried  four  voices  eagerly ;  and  she 
seated  herself  before  the  fire,  crossed  her  hands  on  her 
lap,  and  regarded  her  audience  with  the  prospective  satis- 
faction of  one  who  knows  that  she  is  about  to  make  a 
sensation. 

'Barney,'  she  said  slowly,  'is  enjoying  himself  so  much 
that  he  refused  to  come  away !  He  is  invited  to  stay 
for  the  evening.  He  is  at  present  employed  in  helping 
Mr  Neil  to  catalogue  specimens  for  his  microscope.' 

'Wh — at?'  gasped  Stephen  incredulously,  while  Theo 
caught  hold  of  her  sister  by  the  shoulders  and  gave  her 
an  impatient  shake.  '  Phil,  be  sensible  !  Tell  it  properly. 
Begin  at  the  moment  when  you  knocked  at  the  door, 
and  go  right  through  to  the  end.  Now  then,  begin  ! ' 

'We — 11,'  drawled  Philippa  comfortably,  'I  rang,  and 
a  boy  came  to  the  door — I  don't  think  there  is  a  woman 


180  REHEARSALS. 

on  the  premises.  Mr  N"eil  heard  our  voices,  and  came  out 
to  see  what  was  wanted.  He  took  us  into  his  room, 
which  is  all  books  and  litter,  and  a  great  big  microscope 
on  a  stand  by  the  window.  Don't  ask  me  what  I  said, 
for  I  don't  know.  I  only  remember  his  face  looking  so 
startled  and  sorry.  He  is  really  very  nice-looking,  you 
know;  and  he  wears  a  velvet  coat.  Barney  behaved  well. 
He  said,  "I'm  sorry,  sir,  if  I  have  annoyed  you.  It 
was  only  a  joke."  And  Mr  Neil  said,  "  All  right,  my 
boy,  that  is  settled.  We  won't  say  anything  more  about 
it.  Are  you  interested  in  microscopes'?"  After  that  we 
went  over  to  the  stand,  and  he  explained  what  he  was 
doing,  and  showed  us  the  workings.  It  was  very  exciting. 
Barney  was  in  raptures,  and  I  was  quite  horrified  to  find 
how  long  we  had  stayed.  He  was  as  nice  and  kind  as 
he  could  be,  and  I  believe  it  is  the  beginning  of  peace. 
Oh,  my  dears,  such  dust !  I  longed  for  a  brush  and 
shovel.  No  wonder  he  looks  ill,  living  alone  in  that 
dreary  place,  with  only  a  boy  to  attend  to  him.  I 
believe  he  is  starved.' 

'He  is  a  real  good  sort,  anyway,  to  behave  so  well  to 
that  boy.  I'll  call  on  him  some  night,  and  perhaps  we 
can  return  his  kindness  by  asking  him  here  occasionally. 
I  am  glad  peace  is  settled,  but  I  am  not  done  with  Mr 
Barney  yet.  He  must  promise  me  to  give  up  these  foolish 
tricks,'  said  Stephen  severely.  He  himself  had  never  played 
a  trick  in  his  life,  and  could  not  imagine  wherein  the 
fun  lay. 

When  Barney  came  upstairs  an  hour  later  he  was  taken 


REHEARSALS.  181 

into  the  dining-room  and  lectured  in  solemn,  elder-brotherly 
fashion;  and  being  in  the  highest  of  spirits,  obediently 
promised  all  that  was  desired. 

'I  sha'n't  want  to  rag  him  any  more,  because,  you  see, 
we  shall  be  pals,'  he  explained.  'He  wants  me  to  go 
down  whenever  I  feel  inclined,  and  that  will  be  pretty 
often;  because,  though  the  girls  are  bricks,  a  man  does 
like  another  man  to  talk  to  sometimes.  He's  terrifically 
clever!  You  should  see  all  the  things  he  has  made  him- 
self— little  mechanical  businesses  that  you  can't  buy.  He 
is  going  to  let  me  watch  him  when  he  is  at  work.  I 
fancy  he  felt  a  bit  bad  when  Phil  ate  humble-pie,  and 
wants  to  make  up  by  being  extra  amiable  and  friendly.' 

It  was  just  as  well  that  the  Hermit  had  been  concili- 
ated, for  in  the  days  which  followed  Hope  was  constantly 
practising  her  songs  and  reciting  her  story  to  an  imaginary 
audience  in  the  drawing-room.  Mary,  sweeping  the  tiny 
hall,  would  open  her  eyes  in  amazement  as  a  voice  cried 
dramatically  :  '  Fairy  Godmother  !  Fairy  Godmother !  can 
you  not  help  me  now?  I'm  so  lonely  up  here  in  this 
deserted  tower.  Is  the  spell  not  broken  yet,  dear  God- 
mother 1 '  And  the  fairy  answered :  '  Patience,  Princess 
Chrystal !  Wait  but  a  few  hours  longer.  To-morrow 
morn,  as  the  sun  creeps  round  the  corner  of  the  poplar 
tree,  look  out  of  your  casement  window,  and  you  will 

see' Mary  was  all  agape  to  know  what  the  Princess 

Chrystal  would  see,  but  Philippa  came  bustling  out  of 
the  dining-room  and,  half-laughing,  half-frowning,  sent  her 
about  her  work.  Later  on  a  message-boy  who  was  waiting 


182  REHEARSALS. 

for  an  answer  to  a  note  grew  quite  pale  with  agitation 
as  an  unseen  giant  hissed  out,  'To  your  knees,  rash 
youth!  Before  another  hour  is  past  you  shall  be  chained 
in  the  lowest  dungeon  beneath  the  castle  moat!'  It  was 
really  quite  alarming,  and  the  message-boy  informed  his 
companions  who  were  waiting  for  him  in  the  road  below 
that  there  was  a  lunatic  upstairs,  who  was  raging  and 
carrying  on  'somethink  krool.' 

The  first  performance  was  a  nervous  occasion,  and  Hope 
realised  the  full  difficulty  of  the  task  which  she  had 
undertaken  when  she  stood  upon  the  platform  of  the 
mission-room  vainly  trying  to  gain  a  hearing  from  a  crowd 
of  noisy,  excited  children.  Appeal  was  useless,  but  at 
length  the  happy  idea  struck  her  to  begin  with  a  song ; 
so  down  she  sat  at  the  piano,  struck  up  a  lively  air, 
and  gave  the  first  verse  with  such  spirit  and  go  that  at 
the  word  '  Chorus ! '  there  was  quite  a  creditable  attempt 
at  the  refrain.  After  that  it  was  comparatively  easy  to 
keep  the  attention  which  she  had  gained,  although  she 
had  rarely  before  experienced  such  tiring  work.  For  a 
first  attempt  the  performance  was  a  distinct  success — ay, 
more  than  a  success — for  it  proved  the  existence  of  many 
weak  spots,  demanded  more  prominence  for  dramatic 
incidents,  and  proved  that,  given  time  and  experience, 
she  need  not  fear  the  most  critical  juvenile  audience. 

Twice  more  did  Hope  give  a  performance  of  the  fairy 
play  before  the  long-delayed  circulars  were  ready,  and  she 
started  forth  on  the  difficult  work  of  distribution,  with 
Madge  as  companion,  guide,  and  administrator  of  much- 


REHEARSALS.  183 

needed  courage.  Any  girl  who  has  tried  to  earn  her  own 
living  will  have  discovered  how  different  becomes  the 
demeanour  of  those  in  authority  when  the  supposed 
customer  turns  out  to  he  herself  in  need  of  help.  It  is 
a  painful  revelation,  and  the  moral  which  it  teaches  us  is, 
to  be  gracious  to  other  poor  suppliants  if  it  ever  comes  to 
our  turn  to  be  in  authority.  Madge  had  made  a  list  of 
those  entertainment  bureaux  where  tickets  can  be  obtained 
for  theatres  and  concerts,  and  arrangements  made  for  draw- 
ing-room entertainments;  but  when  the  first  of  these 
establishments  was  reached  Hope  made  three  successive 
bolts  past  the  door  before  she  could  be  induced  to  enter. 
Her  embarrassment  was  greatly  increased  by  the  fact  that 
several  other  people  were  in  the  shop,  ready  to  listen  and 
to  stare  with  curious  eyes  as  she  mumbled  her  request. 
The  assistant  ran  his  eye  carelessly  over  the  leaflet — 
Madge's  masterpiece,  printed  regardless  of  expense  on  thick 
rough  paper  with  torn  edges — did  not  think  there  was 
any  demand  for  that  sort  of  thing;  was  afraid  it  was  not 
in  their  line.  No,  did  not  object  to  keeping  the  adver- 
tisement ;  would  put  it  on  the  stand  if  there  was  room ; 
and  before  the  girls  had  turned  aside,  had  flicked  it 
carelessly  into  a  drawer. 

Hope  was  trembling,  crimson  of  cheek,  and  inclined  to 
turn  tail  and  make  a  short  cut  for  home;  but  Madge's 
chin  was  in  the  air,  and  her  face  sot  in  determined 
lines. 

'  Snob  ! '  she  cried  scornfully ;  '  working  himself,  and 
despising  others  because  they  try  to  do  the  same.  Dear 


184  REHEARSALS. 

Hope,  don't  look  so  doleful.  You  surely  won't  let  your- 
self be  discouraged  by  a  worm  like  that.' 

'  Oh,  it  is  so  hateful ! '  murmured  poor  Hope  tremulously. 
'Suppose  they  all  treat  us  in  the  same  way.  You  know 
very  well,  Madge,  that  that  circular  will  never  see  the 
light.' 

'Oh,  won't  it,  though?  It  shall  be  up  on  that  board 
before  a  week  is  over,'  returned  Madge  obstinately;  and 
when  breathlessly  questioned  how  and  why,  she  answered 
imperturbably,  'Haven't  the  slightest  idea,  but  I'll  find 
out  a  way.  Cheer  up  now,  and  for  goodness'  sake  don't 
look  as  if  you  were  ashamed  of  yourself.  I'd  send  you 
home  and  go  the  round  myself  if  we  could  exchange  faces 
for  the  occasion,  but  if  you  will  only  perk  up  you  can 
do  far  better  than  I.  Look  smiling  and  self-possessed, 
and  as  if  you  were  rather  conferring  than  asking  a 
favour.' 

It  was  admirable  advice,  but,  alas !  Hope  was  not 
the  girl  to  carry  it  into  effect.  Her  cheeks  would  flush; 
her  voice  would  shake ;  she  looked  so  unmistakably  the 
amateur  that,  in  spite  of  her  charming  appearance,  she 
met  with  but  scant  success  wherever  she  went.  No  one 
actually  refused  her  circular,  but  the  manner  of  its  accept- 
ance was  so  lukewarm  and  careless  that  it  would  have 
depressed  the  stoutest  heart.  Even  Madge  looked  downcast 
when  home  was  reached,  but  she  was  smiling  again  by 
dinner-time ;  and  what  was  more,  Philippa  and  Theo  were 
smiling  too,  with  a  mischievous  enjoyment  which  seemed 
strangely  unsympathetic  to  the  crushed  adventurer. 


REHEARSALS.  185 

For  several  days  no  explanation  was  forthcoming;  then 
came  an  afternoon  when  housekeeper  and  author  arrayed 
themselves  in  all  the  splendour  they  possessed  and  sallied 
forth  on  a  mysterious  errand.  Hope  wondered,  questioned, 
and  was  amiably  snubbed  for  her  pains ;  but  at  five  o'clock 
back  came  two  flushed,  triumphant  conspirators,  only  too 
eager  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  adventures. 

'We  have  been  working  for  you,  my  dear,'  cried  Phil, 
nodding  cheery  encouragements  at  the  dear,  pretty  sister 
who  had  grown  to  look  so  pathetically  pale  and  wistful 
of  late ;  '  but  the  idea  came  from  Madge,  so  you  have 
to  thank  her  most  of  all.  Well,  we  sallied  forth,  and 
went  the  round  of  the  shops  where  you  had  left  your 
circulars.  Theo  took  one  direction,  I  took  another,  and 
we  met  at  the  Stores.  The  first  shop  I  went  into  was 
empty,  and  I  had  quite  a  long  talk  with  the  man.  I 
wanted  to  know  what  entertainment  he  could  provide  for 
a  juvenile  party.  He  suggested  a  magic-lantern — cinemato- 
graph— Punch  and  Judy — conjurer.  I  looked  profoundly 
bored,  and  drawled  out,  "  So  terribly  commonplace  !  Have 
you  nothing  new  ? "  He  declared  there  was  nothing  else, 
and  I  was  feeling  very  baffled  and  angry,  when  suddenly 
he  remembered  your  circular,  and  began  searching  for  it 
in  a  drawer.  I  regarded  it  with  judicial  calm,  thought 
the  terms  rather  high,  but  on  the  whole  was  much  taken 
with  the  idea.  The  difficulty,  of  course,  was  to  withdraw 
without  settling  anything  definitely ;  but  some  other  people 
came  in,  and  I  murmured  polite  nothings  about  "thinking 
it  over,"  and  beat  a  retreat.  At  the  next  place  my 


186  REHEARSALS. 

pumping  failed,  for  the  -wretch  had  forgotten  all  about 
you,  or  had  thrown  your  circular  into  the  fire.  You  must 
send  him  another  with  a  polite  reminder  of  his  promise  to 
find  you  engagements,  "subject,  of  course,  to  the  usual  com- 
mission." Number  three  had  actually  pinned  you  up  on 
the  board,  beside  the  Performing  Brothers  and  the  Negro 
Troupe.  He  ought  to  have  been  an  author,  for  he  had 
a  beautiful  imagination !  "When  I  inquired  about  you  he 
waxed  quite  enthusiastic  about  your  abilities  and  popu- 
larity. I  regarded  him  more  in  joy  than  in  anger,  and 
hoped  he  embroidered  as  eloquently  to  all  his  customers.' 

4  Oh !  oh ! '  cried  Hope,  aghast.  She  was  torn  in  twain 
between  elation  and  pangs  of  conscience.  'How  sweet  of 
you,  Phil!  But — do  you  think  it  is  quite  right1?' 

'Why  not?  Does  not  every  unknown  author  implore 
his  friends  to  ask  for  his  books  at  their  libraries  and 
express  untold  surprise  because  they  are  unknown?  Why 
should  not  we  advertise  you  in  your  turn?' 

'You  must  be  boomed,  my  dear,  or  you  may  wait  for 
ever  for  an  engagement.  I  was  even  more  bold  than 
Phil,'  confessed  Theo,  'for  I  purposely  hung  about  until 
other  people  went  into  the  shop,  and  then  spoke  in  such 
a  loud  voice  that  they  were  obliged  to  hear  what  I  said. 
They  seemed  quite  interested,  and  I  left  one  lady  reading 
the  circular  and  asking  questions  about  you.  In  another 
shop  I  said  in  an  anxious  voice,  "  I  hope  she  will  be 
able  to  come  to  me  when  I  want  her.  Will  it  be 
necessary  to  engage  her  a  long  time  ahead?"  The  man 
looked  as  solemn  as  an  owl,  and  said,  "Well,  madam,  it 


REHEARSALS.  187 

would  be  wise.  There  is  sure  to  be  a  rush  in  the 
Christmas  holidays."  What  do  you  think  of  that?  Won't 
it  be  exciting  when  the  letters  come  in?' 

There  was  no  doubt  about  that,  but  unfortunately  no 
letters  arrived ;  and  the  weeks  passed  by,  and  the  Christmas 
holidays  began,  and  not  a  mother  in  the  whole  Metropolis 
expressed  the  slightest  desire  to  engage  the  services  of 
the  'children's  charming  entertainer.'  Hope's  wistful  look 
each  time  that  the  postman's  knock  came  to  the  door 
moved  her  sisters  to  fresh  efforts  on  her  behalf,  and  an 
ingeniously  worded  inquiry  was  despatched  for  publication 
in  the  pages  of  a  popular  fashion  magazine: 

'Can  any  lady  recommend  a  new  form  of  entertain- 
ment for  a  children's  party?  No  lanterns,  conjurers,  or 
marionettes.  Early  answer  much  appreciated.' 

An  early  answer  was,  in  fact,  in  readiness  from  tlie 
hour  when  the  inquiry  was  posted,  wherein  Theo  was  pre- 
pared to  certify  that,  having  heard  Miss  Hope  Charring- 
ton's  entertainment  (at  the  mission-room  of  St  Paul's 
Church  !),  she  was  able  most  enthusiastically  to  recommend 
it  to  all  mothers  and  guardians.  Alas !  the  all-important 
inquiry  was  one  of  many  more  'unavoidably  delayed 
through  want  of  space,'  and  how  to  reply  to  an  advertise- 
ment which  had  never  appeared  was  a  problem  which 
baffled  even  Madge's  ingenuity. 

'I  shall  go  to  see  Minnie  Caldecott  this  afternoon,'  an- 
nounced Hope  one  Tuesday  morning  when  the  post  had 
produced  nothing  more  inspiring  than  a  couple  of  circulars 
and  a  coal-bill.  'I  can't  sit  here  any  longer  doing 


188  REHRARSALS. 

nothing,  and  it  is  evidently  no  use  writing  to  her.  I 
have  not  even  heard  if  the  song  arrived.  Would  any 
one  like  to  come  with  me  and  get  a  peep  into  pro- 
fessional life^Theo?' 

'Yes,'  said  the  author  quickly.  'It  will  be  "copy," 
and  I  want  it  badly.  I  have  quite  a  stock  of  heroes  and 
heroines  on  hand — fascinating  creatures,  every  one — but  I 
can't  think  what  to  do  with  them !  Perhaps  one  might 
be  a  public  singer.  I've  given  her  a  lovely  voice  already. 
I  '11  come,  Hope,  and  make  a  study  of  the  lady  while 
you  discuss  business.' 

A  few  hours  later,  therefore,  behold  the  two  sisters 
seated  in  the  warm,  flower-scented  little  room,  where  the 
portraits  of  becurled  ladies  still  smirked  from  the  walls, 
and  the  presiding  goddess  dispensed  tea,  and  kept  up  a 
stream  of  cheerful,  inconsequent  babble.  She  appeared 
overjoyed  to  see  her  visitors,  kissed  them  effusively, 
addressed  Hope  affectionately  as  'Miss  What 's-your-name,' 
and  declared  that  she  remembered  her  quite  well.  'You 
brought  me  a  song  with  ridiculous  words ;  and  you  have 
all  come  up  to  town  to  make  your  fortunes.  It  isn't  too 
easy,  is  it?  I'm  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  lucky  ones, 
but  it  is  the  solemn  truth,  my  dears,  that  there  are  only 
a  few  pounds  between  myself  and  the  workhouse.  It  is 
a  hand-to-mouth  business,  and  what  with  cabs  and  gloves, 
there  is  precious  little  to  be  made  out  of  these  suburban 
engagements.  I  shall  have  to  get  married  one  of  these 
days.  There  is  one  man  now — that  is  his  portrait  on  the 
mantelpiece — the  one  with  the  big  nose !  He  has  been 


REHEARSALS.  189 

worrying  me  for  years,  and  I  tell  him  the  first  time  I 
get  a  really  bad  cold  on  my  chest  I  '11  marry  him  then 
and  there.  I  could  never  stand  the  expense  of  an  illness. 
Look  at  that  girl  laughing !  It  is  your  sister,  isn't  it, 
dear  ?  What  is  her  name  1  Theo !  I  say,  how  toney  ! 
Are  you  clever  too,  Theo?  What  is  your  line?' 

' 1 — write ! '  replied  Theo,  shrinking  in  anticipation  of 
the  question  which  is  fraught  with  so  much  humiliation 
to  the  would-be  author.  Of  course,  Miss  Caldecott  would 
instantly  want  to  know  what  she  had  written  and  where 
it  could  be  found,  and  then  how  agonising  to  be  obliged 
to  explain  that,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  stories  in  a 
village  paper,  not  a  word  of  her  writing  had  yet  appeared 
in  print !  Hope  came  to  the  rescue  with  a  reply  which 
was  at  once  tactful  and  diplomatic,  since  it  turned  the 
conversation  into  the  desired  channel. 

'I  have  been  keeping  her  busy  lately.  She  has  been 
writing  children's  stories  for  an  entertainment  which  I 
am  hoping  to  give.  I  brought  one  of  the  advertisements 
to  show  you,  as  I  thought  you  might  be  interested.' 

The  undisguised  yawn  with  which  Miss  Caldecott 
greeted  this  announcement  was  the  reverse  of  encourag- 
ing ;  but  she  read  the  circular  with  increasing  interest, 
pronounced  the  idea  to  be  'rattling  good,'  and  wanted  to 
know  who  was  responsible  for  the  design.  '  I  '11  have  a 
programme  got  up  like  that  some  day,'  she  declared;  but 
she  yawned  again  when  the  girls  expatiated  on  the  skill 
of  their  artist-sister,  and  interrupted  with  another  question : 

'Have  you  written  any  more  songs  lately?' 


190  REHEARSALS. 

Hope  looked  at  her  gravely,  and  found  it  impossible  to 
keep  a  tinge  of  reproach  out  of  her  voice  as  she  replied, 
'  Why,  of  course  !  You  know  I  have.  I  have  been  wait- 
ing for  weeks  to  hear  what  you  thought  of  the  one  I 
wrote  especially  for  you.' 

'  Gracious ! '  ejaculated  Miss  Caldecott ;  '  I  never  got  it. 
I  remember  now  that  you  did  write  to  me  about  it,  but 
I  get  so  many  letters  that  I  forget  half  what's  in  them. 
I  've  never  seen  it,  anyway.  Perhaps  it  is  in  that  cup- 
board with  the  newspapers.  That  is  my  bogy-hole,  and 
if  I  haven't  time  to  open  things  I  stick  them  in  there, 
and  forget  all  about  them.  You  can  look  if  you  like, 
dear;  I'm  too  lazy.' 

There  was  an  air  of  dignified  displeasure  in  the  manner 
in  which  Hope  crossed  the  room  to  avail  herself  of  this 
permission ;  but  Miss  Caldecott  drank  her  tea  in  blissful 
unconsciousness,  and  when  the  MS.  was  discovered,  wrapped 
in  an  unopened  covering,  exclaimed  cheerily : 

'  Think  of  that  now !  It  would  have  lain  there  till 
doomsday  if  you  hadn't  looked.  Do  you  want  me  to 
hear  it?  Strum  it  over,  then,  my  dear;  but  I  give  you 
notice  that  I'm  full  up  for  this  season.' 

'  But — but  it  was  a  commission !  You  asked  me  to 
write  it,'  cried  Hope,  stung  into  retort  by  the  keenness 
of  her  disappointment.  'Don't  you  remember  saying  you 
wanted  a  domestic  song  about  children,  to  make  the 
mothers  cry?  You  suggested  the  words  yourself,  and  we 
carried  out  your  idea.' 

'  I  suggested  it,  did  1 1     How  clever  of  me !     I  suppose 


REHEARSALS.  191 

I  saw  you  were  disappointed,  dear,  and  wanted  to  let 
you  down  easily.  I  hate  being  disagreeable,  but  I  never 
thought  you  would  take  it  seriously.  Here !  let  me  see 
it.  I  can  tell  in  a  moment  if  it  is  any  good.' 

She  rose,  and  standing  by  the  piano,  glanced  over  the 
pages  once  or  twice,  then  motioned  to  Hope  to  play  the 
accompaniment.  The  next  moment  the  rich,  melodious 
tones  filled  the  room,  and  Theo  held  her  breath  in  raptur- 
ous enjoyment.  What  a  glorious  organ  of  a  voice — how 
sweet,  how  full,  how  true !  What  a  melting  tenderness  of 
expression !  What  skill  in  seizing  on  effective  phrases  and 
bringing  them  delicately  into  prominence !  If  her  eyes 
had  been  shut,  what  a  lovely,  spirituelle  vision  she  would 
have  pictured  as  the  owner  of  this  wonderful  voice ! 
But,  alas !  there  stood  Minnie  Caldecott,  flushed,  fat,  and 
tousled,  enveloped  in  the  blue  silk  tea-gown,  which  was 
beginning  to  show  decided  signs  of  age — as  far  removed 
from  spirituality  as  it  was  possible  for  a  human  creature 
to  be.  She  sang  the  song  to  its  last  note,  and  nodded 
her  head  approvingly  at  its  conclusion. 

'It  is  not  at  all  bad,  dear.  Quite  a  fetching  little 
song !  I  could  make  them  howl  over  that,  couldn't  I  ? 
And  it  is  different  from  anything  I  have  on  hand.  I 
might  find  room  for  it  sometimes,  if  we  could  agree 
about  other  things.  What  was  your  idea  as  to  terms?' 

'  Oh,  thank  you  !  You  are  too  kind.  I  did  not  think 
of  charging  you  at  all.  It  would  be  an  advertisement 
for  me  if  you  sang  it,  and  that  would  be  sufficient 
payment.' 


192  REHEARSALS. 

Hope  was  fully  convinced  that  she  was  acting  in  a 
generous  manner,  and  Theo  agreed  with  this  conclusion, 
so  that  it  came  as  a  shock  to  both  when  Miss  Caldecott 
burst  into  a  peal  of  laughter,  and  cried  loudly,  'Bless 
your  innocent  heart !  I  meant,  what  are  you  going  to  pay 
me  ?  Didn't  you  know  that  we  were  always  paid  for 
taking  up  a  song?  That  is  why  we  sing  such  rubbish 
half  the  time.  I'm  a  business  woman,  and  can't  afford 
to  work  for  nothing.  I'd  like  to  oblige  you,  dear,  and 
it's  a  useful  little  song  in  its  way — I  believe  I  could 
do  something  with  it — but  I  must  have  my  commission.' 

'Then  I  am  afraid  it  is  no  use  discussing  the 
subject  any  longer.  I  cannot  afford  to  pay  anything,' 
said  Hope  quietly.  She  had  turned  very  white,  but  her 
manner  was  calm  and  collected,  and  she  rolled  up  the 
song  with  an  air  of  finality  which  showed  that  she  meant 
what  she  said.  'Perhaps  another  day,  when  we  are 
better  off' 

'Charmed  to  see  you,  dear,  at  any  time.  But  you'll 
never  get  on  in  the  world  if  you  don't  pay  out  a  bit 
at  first;  or  if  you  do,  it  will  be  a  mighty  slow  process. 
You  think  I'm  a  wretch,  no  doubt,  but  I  dare  say  if 
the  truth  were  known  I'm  as  hard  up  as  you  are 
yourself;  and  I  have  no  rich  friends  to  help  me.  You 
have,  and  you  ought  to  make  them  useful.  Now,  I'll 
tell  you  what  I  will  do  for  you !  You  mention  my  name 
when  you  hear  of  any  one  giving  a  reception,  and  every 
time  you  get  me  an  engagement  I'll  sing  your  song,  and 
you  shall  play  the  accompaniment.  That  would  help  us 


REHEARSALS.  193 

both,    and    I'll    do   as    much    for  you    if    I    hear    of   any 
children's  parties  coming  off.' 

Hope's  thanks  were  very  sweetly  expressed,  but  dis- 
appointment was  still  the  predominating  feeling,  and  when 
the  sisters  found  themselves  in  the  street  they  exchanged 
a  rueful  glance  under  the  light  of  a  lamp. 

'It  seems  as  if  no  one  wanted  us,'  sighed  Hope  sadly. 
'Whatever  we  try  to  do,  there  are  a  thousand  people 
who  do  it  a  thousand  times  better.  I  wonder  if  we  shall 
ever  succeed.' 

'As  Mr  Hammond  said,  it  depends  upon  how  much 
heart-breaking  we  can  stand.  We  never  shall  if  we  lose 
heart  before  six  months  are  over,'  said  Theo  sturdily. 
'Cheer  up,  old  girl;  those  letters  will  be  arriving  soon, 
and  then  you  will  be  too  busy  to  be  depressed.' 

Hope  sighed  and  was  silent.  The  ache  at  her  heart 
made  disappointment  harder  to  bear,  and  Miss  Caldecott's 
offer  of  help  seemed  at  present  of  little  value.  Aunt 
Loftus  might,  indeed,  be  willing  to  engage  the  services  of 
a  professional,  but  there  was  no  one  else  of  whom  such 
a  favour  could  be  asked,  and  the  reflection  brought  an 
added  sense  of  friendlessness  to  the  tired  girl  as  she 
walked  home  through  the  crowded  streets. 

It  is  always  the  darkest  hour  before  the  dawn.  So 
says  the  proverb,  and  in  this  instance,  it  was  fully 
justified,  for  no  sooner  had  the  girls  passed  the  Hermit's 
door  than  Philippa  and  Madge  flew  to  meet  them,  each 
waving  a  letter  in  her  hand  and  keeping  up  a  loud, 
excited  chatter. 

Genius.  M 


194  REHEARSALS. 

'For  you,  Hope!     At  last!     Here  they  come!' 

'A  coat  of  arms.  Such  lovely  paper!  Beautiful 
writing.' 

'Mine  is  from  one  of  the  agencies.  Application  from  a 
client,  no  doubt.  Be  quick — be  quick  !  We  are  dying  to 
read  them.' 

'Why  didn't  you  open  them,  then?  It  is  your  business 
as  well  as  mine.' 

Hope  opened  the  agency  letter  first,  and  shuddered 
dramatically  at  the  intelligence  that  a  certain  Mrs  Annesley 
would  be  glad  to  engage  her  services  for  the  evening  of 
December  the  27th;  then  came  the  turn  of  the  second 
letter,  and  her  sisters  saw  the  pale  cheeks  deepen  into 
rose  as  she  read  its  contents. 

'It  is  from  a  Mrs  Welsby,  in  Belgrave  Square,  a  sister 
of  the  Mr  Merrilies  who  was  at  The  Shanty.  He  has  told 
her  about  me,  and  she  wants  me  for  the  29th.  I — I 
think  I  shall  take  a  berth  on  an  Atlantic  liner  and 
emigrate.  I  daren't  face  it.  I  shall  make  an  idiot  of 
myself;  I  know  I  shall.' 

'All  right  If  you  don't  go — /  shall!'  cried  Madge. 
'I  can  sing  too — in  a  fashion — and  that  money  would 
be  remarkably  useful  to  us  just  now.  Choose  between 
yourself  and  me;  that  is  the  position.' 

There  was  no  sympathy  forthcoming  for  Hope's  nervous- 
ness; on  the  contrary,  she  was  made  to  feel  that  it  was 
her  duty  to  overcome  any  such  feeling,  and  to  do  her 
best  for  the  sake  of  the  family.  Happy  girl !  her  chance 
had  come,  while  others  were  still  waiting  their  turn ; 


REHEARSALS.  195 

it  was  they  who  were  in  need  of  pity,  not  one  to 
whom  a  longed-for  opportunity  had  been  given.  Hope 
listened,  assented,  and  let  no  further  word  of  dread  pass 
her  lips.  In  truth,  after  the  first  shock  was  over,  she 
forgot  everything  but  one  absorbing  question — would  Ralph 
be  at  Mrs  Welsby's  party  1  Would  she  be  able  to  speak 
to  him?  Would  his  face  lighten  at  the  sight  of  her,  as 
it  had  done  during  that  happy  fortnight  at  The  Shanty? 
At  one  moment  she  longed  passionately  to  meet  him ;  at 
the  next  she  almost  wished  him  absent,  since  it  would 
be  doubly  difficult  to  be  natural  and  unconstrained  beneath 
his  scrutiny. 


196 


CHAPTEK    XVIIL 

MEETING    AND    PARTING. 

JND  so  the  weeks  went  by,  and  the  eventful 
evening  came  round  at  last.  Hope  attired 
herself  in  the  white  dress  in  which  she 
looked  charming  enough  to  enrapture  any 
audience,  seated  herself  iu  a  cab,  and  drove  away 
through  the  crowded  streets,  a  poor  little  trembling 
Columbus  going  forth  to  discover  new  worlds !  At 
Belgrave  Square  an  awning  was  erected  over  the  doorway, 
a  babel  of  noise  filled  the  air,  and  the  big  rooms  were 
crowded  with  dainty  little  forms  dancing  about  on  long 
white  legs,  and  groups  of  boys  in  Eton  jackets  standing  by 
themselves  and  looking  bored  and  superior.  Mrs  Welsby 
rustled  forward  to  meet  Hope  with  a  glance  and  a  smile, 
which  made  the  girl's  heart  leap  with  painful  remembrance, 
and  seemed  unfeignedly  rejoiced  at  her  arrival. 

'  Oh,  Miss  Charrington,  so  charmed  to  see  you !  We 
have  been  playing  games  for  an  hour,  and  I  am  quite 
exhausted.  What  exacting  little  wretches  they  are !  I 
will  take  them  into  the  drawing-room  and  get  them 
seated;  and  will  you  begin  at  once,  please?  I  have  really 
come  to  the  end  of  my  resources.' 

She   was   so   smiling   and    friendly   that   Hope's   shyness 


MEETING   AND    PARTING.  197 

disappeared  on  the  spot,  and  she  helped  to  marshal 
the  children  to  their  seats,  and  took  her  stand  on  the 
little  platform  by  the  piano  as  the  last  few  rows  of 
chairs  were  being  filled.  A  hasty  glance  around  had 
discovered  no  sign  of  Mr  Merrilies;  but  his  absence, 
bitter  disappointment  though  it  was,  brought  an  increase 
of  self-confidence  for  the  task  ahead.  Experience  in  the 
mission-rooms  had  shown  that  not  a  moment  must  be  lost 
in  engaging  wandering  attention,  so  no  sooner  had  the  last 
little  white  frock  taken  her  seat  than  she  clapped  her 
hands  to  call  for  silence,  and  looking  smilingly  around, 
began  her  story : 

'Once  upon  a  very  long  time  ago  there  lived  a  king 
and  queen,  who  had  the  most  beautiful  little  princess 
daughter  that  was  ever  seen.  Her  true  name  was  Marie 
Theresa  Louisa  Alberta  Maud  Victoria  Patricia  Josephine, 
but  as  it  was  a  very  busy  country,  where  the  people 
were  always  going  to  war  and  having  discussions  among 
themselves,  no  one  had  time  to  call  her  by  so  many 
names,  except  on  Sundays  and  bank  holidays  and  Christ- 
mas Day.  On  ordinary  working  days  she  was  called 
Princess  Chrystal,  because  her  eyes  were  so  clear  and 
sparkling  and  her  laugh  like  a  chime  of  bells.  She 
had  seven  fairy  godmothers,  and  they  all  came  to  her 
christening,  and  brought  her  the  most  wonderful  presents 
you  can  imagine.  I  am  going  to  sing  you  a  song  which 
tells  all  about  the  godmothers  and  their  presents,  and 
I  want  you  to  listen  very  carefully  to  the  first  verse, 
and  to  join  in  the  chorus  when  I  hold  up  my  hand.' 


198  MEETING    AND    PARTING. 

She  stepped  down  from  the  platform  to  seat  herself 
at  the  piano,  and  even  the  superior  gentlemen  in  Eton 
jackets  were  obliged  to  join  in  with  the  rest  Avhen  they 
discovered  that  the  words  were  set  to  the  well-known 
rollicking  tune  of  'Seven  Little  Nigger  Boys.'  Though 
the  story  hegan  in  the  orthodox  fashion,  its  development 
was  decidedly  original,  and  the  numerous  songs  and 
choruses  prevented  attention  from  wandering.  When  it 
came  to  the  turn  of  the  Giant  with  his  'Fe-fo-fum,'  the 
boys  in  the  back  rows  stamped  with  their  feet  to  em- 
phasise the  words,  and  it  was  the  prettiest  thing  in  the 
world  to  see  Hope  shaking  with  laughter  even  as  she 
sang,  and  nodding  encouragement  with  her  golden  head. 

'  Pretty  dear ! '  said  the  hostess  to  some  one  who  stood 
well  back  in  the  shadow  of  the  doorway.  'How  blase 
you  men  are !  The  idea  of  describing  her  to  me  in  that 
callous  manner !  I  could  sit  and  look  at  her  all  night.' 

'Very  pleasant  for  you;  but,  if  I  might  make  a 
suggestion,  this  must  be  tiring  work  for  her.  When 
Princess  Chrystal  is  safely  married  I'll  take  her  down- 
stairs and  administer  refreshment.  As  I  suggested  this 
entertainment,  I  am  anxious  to  hear  how  it  is  catching 
on,  and  I  haven't  seen  her  since  she  left  The  Shanty.' 

Mrs  Welsby  looked  up  keenly,  but  the  dark  face  beside 
her  was  as  inscrutable  as  ever.  It  was  not  like  Ealph 
to  trouble  himself  about  a  girl,  still  less  to  volunteer 
excuses  for  his  actions,  and  she  watched  curiously  to  see 
the  meeting  between  the  pair  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
story -telling. 


MEETING   AND    PARTING.  199 

'  You  ! '  cried  Hope,  in  astonishment,  as  she  made  her 
way  past  the  applauding  children  and  came  out  into 
the  refreshing  coolness  of  the  hall.  She  stood  still, 
looking  at  him  with  wide,  startled  eyes.  'I  never  saw 
you.  I  thought  you  were  not  here.' 

'I  kept  out  of  sight  on  purpose,  in  case  it  might 
make  you  nervous  to  see  some  one  whom  you  knew. 
Now,  will  you  come  downstairs  and  let  me  get  you  some 
refreshment  after  your  arduous  labours?  I  am  sure  you 
must  need  it.' 

Hope  looked  round  with  uncertain  glance.  'I — I  think 
I  do,  but  will  it  be  right?  Do  you  think  I  ought?' 

1  Right !  Ought !  Miss  Charrington,  what  do  you  mean  ? 
Take  my  arm  now,  at  any  rate,  and  explain  when  you 
are  comfortably  seated.  A  matter  of  conscience  cannot  be 
discussed  in  this  deafening  noise.  There  is  a  grandfather's 
chair  in  the  corner  of  the  dining-room,  which  I  can 
confidently  recommend.' 

It  was  like  a  revival  of  old  times  to  be  waited  upon 
with  such  care  and  consideration,  and  being  ordered  not 
to  speak  a  word  until  she  had  been  fed  and  rested. 
Hope  sipped  her  wine  and  ate  sandwiches  in  a  dream 
of  happiness.  Mr  Merrilies  had  not  forgotten  her  question, 
however,  and  presently  she  found  herself  called  upon  for 
an  explanation. 

'I'm  so  new  to  this  business  that  I  don't  quite  know 
"my  place,"'  she  said,  smiling  at  him  in  mischievous 
fashion.  'Last  Tuesday  I  had  my  first  social  engagement. 
I  arrived  at  the  hour  appointed,  and  found  that  the 


200  MEETING    AND    PARTING. 

children  were  dancing,  and  that  a  conjurer  was  engaged 
as  well  as  myself.  We  waited  our  turn  together,  the 
conjurer  and  I,  in  a  dreary  little  room,  with  a  dreary 
little  gas  fire  that  sent  all  its  warmth  up  the  chimney. 
We  waited  nearly  an  hour  and  no  one  came  near  us,  and 
it  was  very  cold.  We  talked  and  talked,  and  he  showed 
me  tricks  to  keep  up  my  spirits,  for  he  saw  how  nervous 
I  was.' 

Reggie  Blake  would  have  said,  '  Happy  conjurer ! '  but 
Ralph  Merrilies  was  not  given  to  compliments.  He  knitted 
his  brows  and  inquired  brusquely : 

'What  sort  of  a  fellow  was  he?     A  decent  sort?' 

'At  first  I  thought  he  was  detestable.  He  was  not, 
to  put  it  mildly,  quite  a  gentleman,  and  he  was  very 
familiar.  I  was  stiff  and  haughty  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  then  I  began  to  reflect  that,  after  all,  we  were  in 
the  same  position,  trying  to  earn  our  living,  and  that  if  I 
snubbed  him  I  should  be  as  great  a  snob  as  the  woman 
who  had  cared  so  little  for  our  comfort.  I  was  quite 
nice  after  that,  and  he  really  was  a  dear  little  vulgar 
thing.  He  had  an  invalid  wife  at  home — and  he  spoke 
so  tenderly  of  her — and  two  little  conjurer  boys  who 
knew  his  tricks  almost  as  well  as  he  did  himself,  and 
a  delicate  daughter,  for  whom  I  have  plans  in  the  future. 
We  exchanged  addresses,  and  he  volunteered  to  find  me 
engagements,  and  thought  we  might  do  a  very  good  "j'int 
business." ' 

Hope  laughed  at  the  remembrance,  but  Ralph  frowned 
more  fiercely  than  before,  and  bending  forward  with 


MEETING    AND    PARTING.  201 

his  chin  supported  on  his  hands,  stared  fixedly  at  her 
face. 

'I  hate  to  hear  of  your  having  such  experiences — of 
your  having  to  work  at  all.  I  wish  I  had  never  suggested 
it.  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  enjoy  it  yourself?' 

'I  enjoy  it  very  much  when  I  am  well  started,  and  see 
all  the  dear  little  faces  looking  at  me ;  but  I  hate  it 
beforehand,  and  am,  oh,  so  frightened  and  nervous !  And 
I  love  getting  the  money.  I  paid  a  coal-bill  yesterday 
with  my  very  own  earnings,  and  I  never  enjoyed  anything 
more  in  all  my  life ! ' 

He  pressed  his  lips  together  and  was  silent,  and  when 
he  spoke  again  it  was  to  start  an  entirely  new  subject. 

'  How  are  you  going  home  to-night  1 ' 

'In  a  four-wheeler.  I  shall  get  the  man  to  whistle  for 
one  presently.' 

'Alone?' 

'Of  course.  I  am  a  working  woman,  Mr  Merrilies;  I 
have  to  take  care  of  myself.' 

'Well,  there  is  no  need  to-night,  at  any  rate.  I  shall 
go  with  you  and  see  you  safely  home.  If  you  won't  let 
me  come  inside,  I  shall  sit  on  the  box.  It  is  for  you  to 
decide.' 

The  pale,  disconcerted  glance  which  the  girl  turned  on 
him  in  reply  would  have  depressed  a  more  confident  lover 
than  himself;  for  the  suggestion  had  awakened  Hope  to 
the  danger  of  her  position,  and  filled  her  tender  conscience 
with  dread  lest  she  had  already  been  disloyal  to  her  vow. 
How  much  she  would  have  enjoyed  the  prolonged 


202  MEETING    AND    PARTING. 

ttte  can  be  well  imagined,  but  there  were  half-a-dozen 
reasons  which  made  it  unadvisable.  Mrs  Welsby  would 
naturally  prefer  her  brother  to  remain  until  the  end  of 
the  evening;  it  would  be  discourteous  to  accept  his  escort 
and  still  refuse  an  invitation  to  the  flat;  yet  such  an 
invitation  once  granted  might  mean  unlimited  suffering 
in  the  future !  Hope  was  still  hesitating  over  a  reply, 
when  a  reprieve  came  in  the  shape  of  a  summons  from 
her  hostess,  who  beckoned  to  her  brother  from  the  door- 
way, and  cried  pleadingly,  'Ralph,  can  you  possibly  go 
upstairs]  The  conjurer  wants  to  begin,  and  the  children 
are  scrambling  over  the  chairs  in  the  most  hopeless 
fashion.  Do  go  to  the  rescue,  like  a  good  fellow.' 

The  'good  fellow's'  expression  was  the  reverse  of 
amiable  as  he  prepared  to  obey.  A  low  'I'll  see  you 
later,  then;  that  is  settled,'  reached  Hope's  ears;  then 
Mrs  Welsby  rustled  forward  and  took  possession  of  the 
vacant  seat. 

In  the  five  minutes'  conversation  which  followed  Mrs 
Welsby  was  all  that  was  gracious  and  charming,  but 
Hope  had  an  uncomfortable  conviction  that  she  was  not 
altogether  pleased  with  the  t$te-a-ttte  which  she  had 
interrupted,  and  that  she  herself  was  being  very  closely 
scrutinised.  And  then  came  an  unexpected  blow.  After 
the  usual  compliments,  and  a  promise  to  recommend  the 
entertainment  to  her  friends,  Mrs  Welsby  said  blandly: 

'And  now  we  must  not  detain  you  any  longer.  You 
look  tired,  and  must  be  longing  to  rest.  I  am  going  to 
ask  you  to  do  me  a  favour — to  take  charge  of  a  little 


MEETING   AND    PARTING.  203 

girl  who  is  crying  to  go  home,  and  who  will  not  be  sent 
for  for  another  hour.  It  would  not  be  much  out  of  your 
way,  and  you  would  be  in  time  to  stop  the  carriage 
from  coming.  I  will  send  for  your  cloak,  and  John 
shall  whistle  for  a  four-wheeler.' 

Poor  Hope — poor,  miserable,  deluded  Hope !  A  minute 
before  she  had  been  so  wise,  so  prudent,  so  satisfied  that 
she  preferred  to  decline  Ralph's  offer;  but  now  that  escape 
was  made  easy,  a  wave  of  bitter  disappointment,  of  wild, 
incredulous  rebellion,  took  the  place  of  the  former  calm. 
She  searched  desperately  for  an  excuse,  an  evasion,  but 
short  of  confessing  the  previous  engagement,  there  was 
nothing  to  be  said.  Theo  would  have  been  equal  to  the 
occasion ;  Madge  would  even  have  enjoyed  it ;  but  Hope 
found  herself  murmuring  polite  acquiescence,  and  five 
minutes  later  was  driving  away  from  the  door,  as  miser- 
able a  young  woman  as  could  be  found  in  the  length 
and  breadth  of  London.  The  little  girl  was  still  crying 
weakly;  the  big  girl  hugged  her  and  cried  in  sympathy. 
'He  will  think  I  did  it  on  purpose,'  she  sobbed  to 
herself.  'He  will  never  want  to  speak  to  me  again.' 

Ten  minutes  later  Ealph  Merrilies  asked  his  sister  the 
whereabouts  of  Miss  Charrington,  for  whom  he  had  been 
searching  in  vain.  'She  has  gone  home,'  was  the  calm 
reply :  '  drove  off  in  a  cab  directly  after  you  went 
upstairs.' 

The  glance  which  accompanied  the  reply  was  keenly 
observant;  for,  though  Mrs  Welsby  was  less  worldly- 
minded  than  most  women  of  her  class,  it  did  not  coincide 


204  MEETING    AND    PARTING. 

with  her  plans  that  her  brother  should  fall  in  love  with 
a  girl  who  was  working  for  her  living.  She  wondered 
if  he  would  show  signs  of  disappointment;  but  Ealph 
had  his  feelings  well  under  control,  and  gave  no  visible 
signs  of  the  blow  which  her  words  had  inflicted. 

'  The  second  time ! '  he  said  sternly  to  himself.  '  The 
second  rebuff.  That  ought  to  be  enough  for  any  fellow. 
Poor  little  girl,  her  life  is  hard  enough  as  it  is.  I'm 
a  brute  if  I  worry  her  any  longer.' 


205 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

SHADOWS   AHEAD. 

YEAR  after  the  Charringtons  had  taken 
possession  of  their  flat,  the  girls  sat  in  con- 
clave and  reviewed  the  situation.  Philippa 
'  submitted '  her  accounts  with  the  usual  un- 
pleasant results;  for  those  who  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  management  were  horrified  at  their  amount,  groaned 
over  the  total  sum,  and  wondered  'how  it  had  gone,' 
until  the  goaded  housekeeper  was  fain  to  turn  the 
tables  and  inquire  into  the  doings  of  her  critics.  That 
brought  them  quickly  enough  to  their  knees,  for  in  truth 
the  report  was  far  from  rose-coloured. 

'I  have  made  a  decided  improvement,'  said  Theo 
dryly.  'My  manuscripts  are  now  refused  with  a  written 
acknowledgment  instead  of  a  printed  slip.  In  two  cases 
I  have  even  been  asked  to  submit  further  efforts.  I 
worked  for  nearly  a  month  on  one  story  for  Mr  Hammond, 
and  he  said  it  was  'crude.'  I  wrote  another  in  one  after- 
noon, and  he  said  it  was  "charming,  but  not  suitable  for 
his  magazine."  I  have  sent  it  to  three  other  editors  since 
then,  and  the  unanimity  of  opinion  is  most  impressive. 
I  gathered  together  all  my  rejected  addresses  and  offered 
them  to  a  publisher.  He  said  that  volumes  of  short 


206  SHADOWS    AHEAD. 

stories  had  been  overdone,  and  that — except  in  a  few 
exceptional  cases — they  were  not  publishing  any  more.  I 
was  determined  to  earn  money  somehow,  so  I  turned  to 
children's  stories  and  paragraphs  for  penny  papers.  I  get 
a  sovereign  each  for  the  stories,  and  five  shillings  a  page 
for  the  paragraphs.  I  wrote  an  article  on  "Advice  to 
Young  Authors,"  and  it  was  accepted  on  its  first  journey. 
I  also  perpetrated  a  penny  novelette,  with  detailed  de- 
scriptions of  the  heroine's  frocks,  and  an  earl  for  hero. 
The  editor  accepted  it,  and  corrected  my  English  according 
to  his  lights.  I  cringed  over  the  printed  copy,  and 
blushed  to  my  ears.  Altogether  I  have  amassed  seventeen 
pounds — minus,  of  course,  my  expenses  and  the  fortune 
expended  on  stamps  ! ' 

'I  wish  I  had  done  as  well,'  said  Hope  sadly.  She 
was  as  pretty  as  ever,  but  her  face  was  thinner  and  the 
mischievous  dimples  came  more  rarely  into  sight.  '  I  had 
eight  "  social  engagements  "  during  the  Christmas  holidays, 
for  four  of  which  I  have  to  thank  my  friend  the  con- 
jurer. Then  my  market  was  practically  closed  for  another 
year.  Minnie  Caldecott  sang  my  song  at  Aunt  Loftus's 
reception,  and  again  at  the  Welsby's,  and  the  publisher 
printed  it  "as  sung  by  Miss  Minnie  Caldecott,"  just  as 
I  wished.  They  would  not  pay  anything  down,  but 
promised  a  royalty  if  the  sales  exceeded  five  hundred. 
Last  time  I  inquired  they  had  sold  forty-eight  copies. 
Oh  dear !  I  got  some  transposing  and  copying  to  do, 
which  paid  rather  better  than  making  matches.  I 
swallowed  mountains  of  pride  and  prejudice  and  advertised 


SHADOWS    AHEAD.  207 

myself  as  an  instructor  of  youth — the  one  thing  I  had 
always  vowed  I  would  not  do — and  I  have  one  pupil 
with  warts  on  her  fingers,  who  snores  all  the  while  she 
is  torturing  the  "Village  Blacksmith."  I — I  always 
thought  I  was  amiahle  before,  but  I  have  felt — I  've 
felt  murderous  to  that  child !  I  have  earned  nineteen 
pounds,  Philippa,  spent  five  on  my  dress,  three  on  my 
cloak,  over  two  on  cabs  and  gloves ;  grand  total  for  a 
year's  effort — ten  pounds  sterling  ! ' 

'I've  not  made  a  cent,  but  I've  done  my  best,  and 
saints  can  do  no  more,'  cried  Madge  breezily.  '  I  designed 
Christmas-cards  and  composed  sensible  verses  to  be  printed 
on  them ;  not  the — 

May  all  your  life  be  bright  and  gay, 
As  cloudless  as  a  summer  day  ! 

kind  of  business,  but  reasonable  good  wishes  which  had 
some  chance  of  being  fulfilled.  The  first  firm  kept  them 
for  months,  and  could  not  be  induced  to  return  them 
until  I  had  written  four  times,  and  the  second  said  that 
it  was  too  late  in  the  season  to  consider  new  designs. 
I  have  sent  headings  and  initial  letters  to  magazines, 
and  have  had  heaps  of  compliments,  but  nothing  more 
substantial.  I  have  likewise  had  heaps  of  snubs  at  the 
Slade,  but  I  bob  up  again  like  a  cork  after  each  fresh 
dousing,  and  am  more  determined  than  ever  to  get  on 
and  make  a  name.  The  mistake  we  have  made  is  in 
being  too  proud  to  begin  at  the  beginning.  Hope  is  the 
most  humble-minded  of  the  family;  but  she  expected  to 
become  well  known  in  one  season,  and  to  sell  her  song 


208  SHADOWS    AHEAD. 

by  the  hundreds.  Theo  wanted  to  write  for  the  CasJcet, 
and  I  hoped  to  be  exhibiting  before  now.  "We  must 
crawl  down,  and  be  content  to  drudge  before  we  soar. 
My  serious  studies  leave  much  to  be  desired,  but  I 
can  caricature  with  the  best.  The  other  day  I  amused 
myself  in  the  lunch  hour  by  drawing  the  pupils  in  the 
life,  and  one  of  the  girls  '  carried  off  the  sketch  and 
stuck  it  on  her  easel.  Just  then  in  came  Pepper,  as 
we  call  him — he  is  so  horribly  stinging  and  bitter  in 
his  criticisms — and  walked  straight  up  to  look  at  it.  Oh, 
my  heart !  He  was  quite  silent,  but  I  saw  his  shoulders 
shaking,  and  when  he  turned  round  his  face  was  red. 
"Whose  work  is  this?"  he  asked;  and  I  suppose  guilt  was 
written  large  on  my  expressive  features,  for  he  came  up 
to  me  and  said,  "I  shall  have  to  inflict  a  punishment 
for  this,  Miss  Charrington.  I  cannot  have  my  pupils 
ridiculed  and  their  work  interrupted  in  this  manner. 
The  punishment  is — that  you  draw  a  caricature  of  me 
on  the  other  side  of  the  sheet ! " 

'He  put  the  paper  on  my  easel,  and  all  the  girls  giggled 
and  peered  round  to  witness  my  collapse.  But  I  wasn't 
going  to  be  floored  by  a  little  thing  like  that.  He  stuck 
his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  stood  opposite  me,  and  I 
set  to  work  to  draw  him  then  and  there.  He  was  easy 
to  caricature,  for  he  has  a  curious,  sheep-dog  kind  of  face, 
with  two  deep  lines  running  down  from  the  nose,  humped- 
up  shoulders,  and  a  mop  of  hair.  It  really  was  like 
him,  and  what  I  call  a  polite  caricature,  so  that  his 
feelings  shouldn't  be  hurt.  He  tried  to  look  solemn  when 


SHADOWS    AHEAD.  209 

I  gave  it  to  him,  but  his  lips  twitched,  and  he  walked 
straight  out  of  the  room  and  took  it  with  him.  Next 
day,  when  he  was  abusing  my  drawing  as  usual,  he  said, 
"You  had  better  caricature  your  subjects  at  once.  You 
will  make  far  more  out  of  them  in  that  way  than  in 
any  other."  That  was  quite  a  compliment  coming  from 
Pepper,  and  I  've  taken  it  to  heart.  After  much  cogitation 
I  have  evolved  an  idea  which,  with  Theo's  co-operation, 
I  am  going  to  put  into  action  forthwith.  I  sha'n't  tell 
you  what  it  is  until  I  see  how  I  succeed,  but  I  don't 
mind  confessing  that  it  is  hardly  high  class.  We  might 
call  it  the  lowest  rung  of  the  ladder.' 

'Be  careful,  deary.  Don't  do  anything  that  you  would 
be  sorry  for  afterwards.  Promise  me  to  be  careful,' 
pleaded  the  anxious  housekeeper;  and  Madge  promised 
gaily,  and  carried  Theo  away  into  another  room  to  talk 
over  the  new  idea  without  further  delay. 

Hope  sat  still,  gazing  into  the  fire  with  wistful  eyes; 
and  Philippa,  watching  her  anxiously,  wondered,  as  she 
had  often  done  of  late,  if  it  were  only  the  strain  of 
money-making  which  had  brought  such  sadness  into  the 
sweet  face.  Hope  had  told  her  nothing  of  Kalph  Merrilies ; 
and  indeed  there  was  little  to  tell,  for,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  occasions  when  she  had  met  him  at  her 
uncle's  house  and  exchanged  a  few  commonplace  sentences, 
he  had  practically  dropped  out  of  her  life  since  the  evening 
when  he  had  offered  his  escort  and  had  been  treated 
with  such  apparent  rudeness  in  response.  Hope  had 
given  over  telling  herself  that  a  fortnight's  acquaintance 

Genius.  N 


210  SHADOWS    AHEAD. 

could  not  possibly  influence  a  lifetime,  for  the  impression 
was  too  strong  to  be  reasoned  away.  The  picture  of  the 
strong,  dark  face  was  imprinted  on  her  brain;  in  every 
moment  of  leisure  her  thoughts  drifted  back  to  Ealph 
as  the  needle  to  the  pole.  The  longing  to  see  him  again 
was  sometimes  so  strong  as  to  be  an  actual  physical  pain. 
Now,  as  she  sat  staring  into  the  fire,  she  was  reviewing  her 
life,  telling  herself  that  love  was  a  thing  forbidden,  and  ponder- 
ing on  what  remained,  until,  Philippa's  fixed  gaze  attracting 
her  attention,  she  looked  up  with  a  flickering  smile. 

'I  was  thinking,  Phil.  Our  talk  has  made  me  think. 
I  have  worked  so  hard  this  last  year,  and  the  result  is 
so  poor — so  unsatisfactory  ! '  She  rose,  and  coming  close 
to  Philippa's  side,  took  hold  of  her  hand  and  cried,  with 
sudden  passion,  '  Phil,  I  can't  do  it — I  can't  go  on !  I 
could  give  my  life,  I  could  work  for  nothing,  gladly  and 
cheerfully,  if  it  were  for  some  noble  end,  but  I  can't  sell 
it  for  a  mess  of  pottage !  I  can't  go  on  smiling  and 
acting  and  trampling  on  my  feelings,  and  associating  with 
Minnie  Caldecott  and  her  friends  for  the  sake  of  what 
I  can  make  out  of  them.  And  I  can't  earn  enough  to 
help  you.  I  am  only  a  burden.  I  want  to  give  it  up, 
Phil,  and  devote  my  life  to  doing  good.  I  want  to 
enter  a  home  for  deaconesses,  and  be  trained  for  work 
among  the  poor.  There  is  no  question  of  money  there, 
for  you  get  barely  enough  to  live  in  the  plainest  way, 
but  I  should  be  doing  some  good  in  the  world' 

'Sit  down,  Hope,'  said  Philippa  quietly.  She  waited 
in  silence  until  the  trembling  hand  lay  quietly  on  her 


SHADOWS    AHEAD.  211 

own,  and  then  began  her  reply.  'I  know  a  girl  who 
went  to  pay  a  visit  at  a  country-house.  It  was,  on  the 
face  of  it,  merely  a  pleasure  visit,  but  while  there  she 
managed  to  rouse  a  very  selfish  girl  to  the  consciousness 
that  there  were  other  needs  in  the  world  besides  her 
own.  Later  on  she  gave  real  hard  work  to  the  carrying 
out  of  a  scheme  which  she  had  suggested,  and  which 
has  put  fresh  life  into  many  tired  workers  this  summer. 
I  know  a  girl  who  has  three  quick-tempered,  sharp- 
tongued  sisters,  and  who  keeps  peace  among  them  by 
her  sweet  influence.  I  know  a  girl  who  can  make  home 
cheerful  by  the  exercise  of  her  talent,  and  so  keep  a 
young  brother  happy  and  occupied  many  times  when  he 
would  otherwise  be  roaming  about  in  search  of  amusement. 
He  is  only  a  boy,  but  he  thinks  himself  a  man,  and  he 
is  so  easily — so  easily  influenced  for  good  or  bad !  If 
that  girl  left  her  home,  and  her  sisters'  lives  were  made 
more  difficult,  and  that  poor  boy  went  astray,  would  she 
be  "doing  good"?  Would  she  be  doing  the  duty  that 
lay  at  her  hand?' 

'  Oh  Phil ! '  gasped  Hope,  dismayed ;  but  now  Philippa 
in  her  turn  was  roused,  and  squared  her  shoulders  in 
her  old  determined  fashion. 

1 1  can't  think  what  has  come  to  girls  nowadays  that 
they  must  take  for  granted  that  good  work  must  needs 
be  without  their  own  four  walls.  Charity  begins  at 
home,  and  /  call  it  treachery  to  forsake  your  relations 
when  they  need  your  help.  If  you  go  away,  and  any- 
thing happens  to  Barney  ' 


212  SHADOWS   AHEAD. 

'  Phil,  don't !  I  can't  bear  it.  Of  course  I  will  stay 
if  you  need  me;  and  it  comforts  me  more  than  anything 
else  to  feel  that  I  can  help.  You  are  not — not  anxious 
about  Barney,  are  you,  dear?' 

'Yes,  I  am.  I  hate  to  put  it  into  words,  but  perhaps 
it  is  better  that  we  should  consult  together.  The  boy  is 
changed ;  sometimes  there  is  a  look  upon  his  face  which 
I  can't  bear  to  see — a  worried,  miserable,  shamed  look, 
as  if  there  were  something  he  was  trying  to  hide.  He 
keeps  asking  for  money,  too,  and  at  last  I  summoned  up 
courage  and  refused  to  give  any  more.  I  thought  he 
would  have  been  angry,  but  he  only  stared  at  me  fixedly 
and  said,  "  You  'd  better,  Philippa !  You  will  be  sorry 
if  you  refuse."  Perhaps  it  was  cowardly  of  me,  but  I 
was  frightened  and  gave  him  what  he  asked;  but  I  spoke 
very  plainly  to  him,  all  the  same.  I  said,  "Kemember, 
Barney,  that  every  unnecessary  shilling  you  spend  means 
extra  anxiety  and  worry  to  me,  and  extra  self-denial  to 
the  girls.  "We  expect  you  to  help,  not  to  hinder.  If 
you  really  love  us  you  cannot  have  the  heart  to  be 
extravagant  just  now."  He  looked  miserable,  but  he  did 
not  offer  to  return  the  money.  I  have  given  him  no 
more  since  then,  but  he  must  get  it  somewhere,  for  he 
spends  far  more  than  Steve.  He  had  half-a-dozen  new 
ties  in  his  drawer,  and  is  always  going  to  the  theatre, 
and  buying  little  things  for  his  room.  I  don't  like  to 
speak  to  Steve,  for  the  truth  is,  he  doesn't  understand 
Barney,  and  does  more  harm  than  good  by  his  inter- 
ference. But,  Hope,  you  and  I  must  work  together.  We 


SHADOWS   AHEAD.  213 

must  save  our  boy  before  it  is  too  late.  "We  must  not 
allow  him  to  get  into  bad  ways.' 

'  Poor  Barney ! '  sighed  Hope  sadly.  '  It  must  be  a 
hard  life  for  him  down  in  that  dreary  office.  We  have 
wondered  that  he  stuck  to  his  work  so  well.  We  won't 
scold  him,  Phil.  Boys  won't  stand  being  scolded  by  their 
sisters.  We  will  just  make  home  as  bright  as  we  can, 
and  make  a  point  of  consulting  him  and  asking  his  help, 
so  that  he  may  feel  like  a  man,  poor  darling — a  man 
who  has  women  depending  on  him,  and  must  keep 
straight  for  their  sake.  We  '11  appeal  to  the  best  in  him 
by  showing  our  trust' 

Philippa  looked  at  her  with  shining  eyes. 

1  Oh  Hope,  and  you  wanted  to  leave  us !  Bless  you, 
dear,  you  are  a  help !  I  was  feeling  so  cross  and  bitter, 
inclined  to  snap  off  the  poor  boy's  head,  though  my  heart 
was  breaking  for  him  all  the  time;  but  yours  is  the  right 
way.  You  are  right  and  I  am  wrong.  We  will  begin 
to-night  and  see  what  we  can  do.' 

When  Barney  returned  from  town  an  hour  or  two  later 
Hope  looked  at  him  with  opened  eyes,  and  felt  a  pang 
of  remorse  for  the  selfishness  which  had  blinded  her  to 
the  change  in  the  boy's  face.  The  once  smooth  forehead 
showed  a  faint  network  of  lines;  his  glance  had  lost  its 
candour,  his  radiant  self-confidence  was  replaced  by  nervous 
uncertainty.  He  sat  down  quietly,  casting  a  quick,  almost 
furtive  glance  at  Philippa's  face ;  but  when  she  smiled 
gaily  in  response,  when  she  pressed  dainties  upon  him 
and  called  him  'old  boy'  in  her  old  loving  tones,  his 


214  SHADOWS    AHEAD. 

relief  and  pleasure  found  vent  in  one  of  his  old  bursts 
of  merriment.  He  laughed  and  sang,  danced  up  and  down 
the  room,  and  chattered  incessantly,  and  as  if  he  had 
never  known  a  care  in  his  life. 

'I  had  a  rowing  from  old  Waxworks  to-day.  I  expect 
I  shall  get  sacked  soon,'  he  announced  complacently. 
'  The  head  of  our  department  is  such  a  muff !  He  can't 
see  a  joke,  and  spends  half  his  time  telling  tales  of  me 
to  the  boss.  Now,  Waxworks,  with  all  his  faults,  has 
quite  a  decent  sense  of  humour.  I  tried  him  pretty 
high  one  day,  and  he  really  behaved  uncommonly  well. 
I  was  at  the  telephone  when  he  came  out  of  his  private 
room  and  said,  "Oh  Charrington,  just  telephone  home 
for  me  that  I  am  bringing  two  of  the  directors  to  dinner 
to-night."  I  said,  "Yes,  sir,"  and  rang  up  at  once.  Of 
course,  I  expected  him  to  go  back  to  his  room,  so  after 
I  had  given  the  message,  "Two  directors  coming  to  dinner 
to-night,"  I  dropped  the  tube  and  added  a  little  warning 
on  my  own  behalf  for  the  benefit  of  the  clerks :  "  Don't — 
have — hash!"  They  were  all  so  jolly  sober  about  it  that 
I  looked  round  to  see  what  was  up,  and  there  was  every 
man  Jack  of  them  scribbling  for  his  life,  while  old 
Waxworks  stood  at  his  door  looking  on.  I  tell  you  I 
felt  pretty  sick;  but  he  just  glared  at  me  for  a  moment, 
and  then  went  into  his  room  and  shut  the  door.  My 
private  opinion  is  that  he  wanted  to  laugh.  One  of  the 
fellows  told  me  that  he  quite  snubbed  Young — that's 
our  head — when  he  complained  of  my  vaulting  over  the 
desks — waved  his  hand,  and  said,  with  his  grandest  roll, 


SHADOWS    AHEAD.  215 

"  Your  manager  has  been  young  himself ! "  I  expect 
Young  had  it  in  for  me  worse  than  ever  after  that,  and 
to-day  he  had  his  chance.  He  was  out  of  the  room,  and 
it  was  beastly  dull,  so  I  proposed  getting  up  a  statue 
gallery,  and  posed  the  fellows  standing  up  on  their  stools. 
We  had  the  Three  Graces,  with  their  anna  entwined, 
and  their  legs  sticking  up  in  the  air.  Ulysses  meeting 
What 's-her-name — Penelope,  wasn't  it? — and  hugging  her 
round  the  waist,  and  all  sorts  of  heathen  Johnnies 
wrestling  and  fighting.  Then  the  other  fellows  got  scared 
and  went  back  to  their  desks,  and  I  was  doing  "Ajax 
defying  the  lightning"  in  fine  style,  when  Young  came 
sneaking  in  and  found  me  at  it.  He  told  the  boss, 
and  the  boss  sent  for  me,  and  jawed  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour.  "Willing  to  make  excuses  for  youthful  spirits,  but 
must  enforce  discipline.  Repeated  complaints.  Friend  of 
your  uncle.  Very  sorry.  Give  you  another  chance."  You 
know  the  kind  of  thing. * 

'  Bar — ney ! '  cried  the  four  sisters  in  chorus.  But 
Barney  only  laughed  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

'  What 's  the  odds  ?  I  'm  sick  of  the  whole  show, 
anyway.  If  he  thinks  I  am  going  to  spend  my  life 
making  out  policies  he  is  jolly  well  mistaken.  It's  bad 
enough  as  it  is;  I  should  go  cracked  if  I  couldn't  have 
a  little  fun.' 

The  lines  came  back  to  his  forehead  as  he  spoke,  and 
Philippa  regarded  him  in  pained  self-reproach.  This  bright, 
adventurous  spirit  was  never  intended  by  nature  to  be 
chained  to  an  office  desk.  No  wonder  that  he  chafed  at 


216  SHADOWS   AHEAD. 

confinement,  and  occasionally  broke  the  bounds.  If  cir- 
cumstances would  bave  allowed  it,  he  would  have  made 
a  resourceful  middy,  a  soldier  who  would  have  done 
good  work  for  his  country ;  but  circumstances  had  not 
allowed  it,  and  here  once  more  was  the  round  peg  in 
the  square  hole,  here  once  more  the  inevitable  failure 
and  disappointment.  Surely  there  is  no  greater  wrong  that 
can  be  done  to  a  young  man,  no  surer  way  of  driving 
him  into  temptation,  than  to  set  him  a  lifelong  task 
which  he  despises  and  abhors.  Philippa  determined  to 
consult  the  Hermit,  who  was  by  this  time  a  regular 
Sunday-night  visitor  at  the  flat,  and  whose  understanding 
of  the  boy's  nature  made  him  a  more  valuable  adviser 
than  the  staid  elder  brother.  Perhaps  Mr  Neil  might  be 
able  to  suggest  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 

For  the  next  few  days  Theo  and  Madge  took  their 
walks  abroad  together,  and  when  at  home  remained  shut 
up  in  the  drawing-room  together,  whence  came  peals  of 
mysterious  laughter.  Sheets  of  cardboard  were  smuggled 
to  and  fro,  and  finally  taken  out  of  the  house  and  never 
brought  back.  In  their  place,  however,  appeared  two 
bright  half-sovereigns,  displayed  with  huge  pride  on 
Madge's  outstretched  palm. 

1  First  fruits  ! '  she  cried.  '  The  foundations  of  a  mighty 
fortune !  I  have  set  up  in  the  advertising  business,  my 
dears,  and  am  very  well  satisfied  with  my  beginning. 
Oh,  I  am  going  to  explain ;  just  give  me  time  and  you 
shall  hear  all  about  it.  You  may  remember,  Phil,  that 
you  once  advised  me  to  try  poster-painting,  and  that  I 


SHADOWS   AHEAD.  217 

was  mortally  offended  at  the  suggestion.  I  remembered 
it,  though,  and  when  Pepper  advised  me  to  go  in  for 
caricature,  it  seemed  as  if  the  two  things  might  be 
worked  together.  I  was  afraid  it  was  no  use  trying  any- 
thing big  as  a  start,  so  I  have  been  parading  unfashionable 
thoroughfares  this  last  week,  looking  out  for  shops  which 
advertise  their  wares  in  the  window,  studying  the  said 
wares,  and  composing  something  really  striking  and  original 
to  attract  the  passers-by.  There  was  one  pastry-cook's  where 
they  had  a  printed  card  in  the  window  which  pleased 
me  very  much — "Mutton  pies — as  good  as  mother  makes 
'em ! "  The  inventor  of  that  advertisement  would,  I  was 
sure,  be  able  to  appreciate  my  efforts;  so  I  drew  a  picture 
of  a  dinner-table,  with  a  fat,  motherly  old  dear  cutting 
up  pies  at  one  end,  while  the  different  crowned  heads 
of  Eurdpe  sat  round  the  table,  elbowing  each  other  for 
the  first  chance.  You  should  have  seen  the  delight  of 
the  proprietor  when  I  exhibited  it.  He  called  his  wife, 
and  she  came  out  of  the  little  parlour,  and  shrieked 
with  laughter.  They  wanted  to  know  what  I  charged 
for  it,  and  I  said  boldly,  "Ten  shillings;  and  in  a  couple 
of  years  it  will  be  ten  pounds.  I  am  just  starting  in 
this  business,  so  I  am  charging  a  nominal  price."  They 
whispered  together,  and  asked  if  I  couldn't  make  it 
seven-and-six ;  but  I  was  firm,  and  they  were  glad  enough 
to  secure  it  at  the  price.  That  was  number  one.  Number 
two  was  a  failure,  though  I  thought  the  sketch  was  the 
best  of  all.  The  man  was  hard  up,  I  think,  and  couldn't 
afford  the  money.  The  third  was  a  sweet-shop,  for 


218  SHADOWS    AHEAD. 

which  I  illustrated  a  rhyme  of  Theo's,  with  figures  of 
the  "  Shock-headed  Peter "  type.  There  was  a  nice  old 
body  in  charge,  who  was  not  by  any  means  an  easy 
prey.  She  did  not  believe  that  the  picture  would  bring 
her  any  fresh  custom,  but  I  persuaded  her  to  try  it 
for  a  couple  of  days,  and  saw  it  safely  pasted  on  the 
window  before  we  left.  When  we  went  back  she  con- 
fessed that  there  had  been  crowds  of  children  about  the 
window  when  the  schools  came  out,  and  "  supposed  she 
had  better  keep  it  now."  That 's  the  second  half-sovereign. 
And  you  needn't  look  nervous,  Phil,  for  I  assure  you  I 
never  met  with  greater  politeness;  the  assistants  in  the 
fashionable  entertainment  bureaux  might  learn  a  lesson 
from  my  mutton-pie  gentleman.  Besides,  it  has  shown 
me  that  I  can  do  it,  and  I  '11  be  more  ambitious  next 
time.  I'll  show  you  the  sketch  that  the  tobacconist 
refused,  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  style  of  thing.' 

She  ran  into  her  bedroom,  and  brought  back  a  narrow 
sheet  of  paper  on  which  was  depicted  a  race-course, 
dotted  over  with  the  strangest,  most  comical  of  figures. 
The  headpieces  of  old  Toby  pipes  peered  forth  from  the 
necks  of  rotund  tobacco-jars,  which  were  crowned  with 
cocked  hats,  as  represented  by  well-filled  pouches.  Short- 
stemmed  pipes  did  service  for  arms,  long-stemmed  pipes 
for  the  wide-spread  legs,  and  it  was  really  astonishing 
how  life-like  and  animated  the  figures  appeared.  With 
one  exception,  however,  the  combatants  were  in  a  very 
sad  case,  tumbling,  fainting,  falling  to  the  ground,  standing 
still  with  bowl-like  hands  pressed  to  their  hearts,  while 


SHADOWS    AHEAD.  219 

the  winner  pressed  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  goal,  and 
on  that  winner's  corpulent  figure  was  inscribed  the 
eloquent  and  touching  legend,  'Banks's  tobacco  leada 
the  way ! ' 

'The  name,  of  course,  can  be  altered  to  suit  the 
exigencies  of  the  situation,'  said  Madge  dryly ;  and  at 
that  Barney  burst  into  a  roar  of  delighted  laughter. 

'  Good  old  Madge  !  "Well  done,  you !  That 's  a  rattling 
good  picture,  and  you  will  sell  it  yet.  I  tell  you  what; 
there 's  a  little  shop  that  I  patronise  sometimes  on  my 
way  home,  where  I  really  think  they  might  have  it.  They 
sell  newspapers  and  tobacco  and  so-called  stationery,  and 
the  man  is  an  enterprising  sort  of  fellow,  who  would 
take  up  a  new  idea.  I'll  write  down  the  address,  and 
you  might  call  in  some  day.' 

'  Good  old  Barney !  Good  for  you ! '  replied  Madge  in 
return.  It  was  a  simple  enough  suggestion,  frankly  made 
and  as  frankly  accepted ;  neither  brother  nor  sister  sus- 
pected to  what  weighty  consequences  it  was  to  give  rise. 


220 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE   DISCOVERY. 

j]VER  a  week  elapsed  before  Madge  was  able 
to  carry  out  Barney's  suggestion  and  offer 
the  race -course  advertisement  to  the  to- 
bacconist who  had  been  mentioned  as  a 
likely  purchaser.  As  a  preliminary  measure  she  thought 
it  wise  to  prospect  the  shop  itself  to  see  if  it  boasted 
any  speciality  which  could  be  introduced  into  the  sketch, 
and  also  to  study  the  neighbourhood  in  search  of  further 
customers.  When  the  first  sketch  had  been  touched 
up,  and  two  more  executed,  she  sallied  forth  to  try 
her  fate  once  more.  She  was  less  fortunate  this  time 
than  on  her  first  expedition,  inasmuch  as  she  met  with 
two  decided  refusals.  The  tobacconist  came  last  on  the 
list,  and  Madge's  thin  face  shone  with  the  light  of 
battle  as  she  stepped  across  his  threshold;  for  hers  was 
one  of  the  fortunate  natures  which  holds  the  more  firmly 
to  its  purpose  when  face  to  face  with  difficulty.  To 
return  home  without  one  single  sheaf  to  nourish  was  not 
to  be  thought  of  for  a  moment;  by  cajolery,  tact,  or 
insistence,  this  last  chance  must  be  turned  into  a  success, 
and  a  bright  half-sovereign  transferred  from  the  till  to 
her  purse. 


THE  DISCOVERT.  221 

It  was  already  late  in  the  afternoon,  the  gas  was  lit, 
and  the  master  of  the  shop  was  sitting  behind  his  counter 
reading  an  evening  newspaper.  He  looked  up  in  astonish- 
ment as  Madge  entered,  for  his  clientele  was  almost 
exclusively  masculine,  and  there  was  something  about  this 
quiet,  black-robed  girl  which  made  him  rise  hastily  and 
put  on  his  best  manners,  as  he  inquired  with  what  he 
could  have  the  pleasure  of  serving  her.  She  was  a  lady 
— not  a  pretty  lady,  yet  there  was  something  very 
taking  about  the  way  in  which  she  smiled  and  said 
frankly : 

'Well,  do  you  know,  I  want  you  to  be  my  customer 
to-day !  I  have  heard  that  you  are  enterprising  and 
fond  of  taking  up  new  ideas,  and  I  have  drawn  a 
picture  advertisement  which  I  thought  you  might  like 
to  buy  to  paste  in  your  window.' 

The  man  looked  dubious  and  disappointed.  'I  hardly 

think ' he  began  uncertainly ;  but  Madge  was  already 

unrolling  her  paper,  and  what  living  tobacconist  could 
have  withstood  the  picture  that  was  then  revealed?  This 
one,  at  least,  was  profoundly  impressed;  but  when  the 
money  question  was  approached  he  showed  a  shocking 
ignorance  of  the  value  of  artistic  efforts.  'If  you  'ad 
said  'arf-a-crown,  now,'  he  said  sadly ;  and  then  Madge 
thought  it  was  time  to  cease  cajolery  and  show  a  firm 
front.  She  spoke  to  him  seriously  on  the  subject  of  an 
artist's  education — of  its  duration,  its  cost,  its  difficulties; 
she  hinted  at  a  reputation  which  would  be  seriously 
injured  by  the  receipt  of  silver  coins,  and  gave  him  to 


222  THE   DISCOVERY. 

understand  that  the  day  was  near  at  hand  when  the 
sketch  might  "be  resold  at  a  fabulous  profit.  The  bar- 
gaining was  continued  for  a  considerable  time,  but  Madge 
was  sharp  enough  to  see  where  she  could  afford  to  be 
firm,  and  would  not  concede  a  point. 

In  the  end  the  tobacconist  sighed  and  succumbed,  but 
not  without  making  a  stipulation  on  his  own  side.  There 
were  one  or  two  trifling  additions  which  he  wished  made 
to  the  advertisement,  and  these  Madge  offered  to  do  then 
and  there  if  he  could  accommodate  her  with  a  table. 
There  was  no  room  in  the  tiny  shop,  but  he  looked 
towards  the  half-open  door  which  led  into  the  room 
behind,  and  whistled  a  summons,  in  response  to  which 
a  thin,  sad-faced  woman  made  her  appearance. 

'Mother,  will  you  give  this  young  lady  a  seat  in  the 
parlour?  She's  got  a  drawing  here  that  you  will  like 
to  see,  and  there  are  one  or  two  little  things  she  is 
going  to  put  in  to  make  it  better  still.' 

'Come  in,  miss,'  said  the  woman  curiously;  and  Madge 
walked  into  a  little  oven  of  a  room,  which  was,  however, 
clean  and  tidy,  and  not  without  a  certain  homely  charm. 
The  pictures  on  the  walls  were  almost  without  excep- 
tion prints  of  racing  horses,  and  while  the  tobacconist's 
wife  examined  her  sketch,  Madge  studied  these  prints 
with  interest,  and  could  not  resist  remarking  on  their 
number. 

'You  must  be  very  fond  of  horses.' 

'  My  husband  is ! '  The  woman  spoke  shortly,  and  in 
a  tone  which  made  Madge  regret  her  thoughtlessness. 


'Jolly  bad  tips  ! '  cried  another  voice,  at  the  sound  of  which  Madge's 

pencil  slipped  from  her  hand  and  rolled  across  the  tal>le. 
i>.  u.  PAOK  223. 


THE   DISCOVERY.  223 

The  thin  face  grew  lined  and  troubled ;  her  voice  sank 
to  a  whisper.  '  I  hate  'em ! '  she  whispered.  '  I  hate 
the  sight  of  'em.  They  have  been  the  ruin  of  us.  We 
used  to  be  in  quite  a  big  way.  We  've  come  down  and 
down.  I  don't  know  what  will  happen  next.' 

Madge  murmured  sympathetically  and  bent  her  head 
over  her  work.  All  unwillingly  she  had  touched  upon 
the  family  skeleton,  and  it  was  difficult  to  know  how 
to  offer  consolation  when  the  offender  himself  was  within 
hearing  distance.  She  worked  steadily  at  her  sketch, 
while  the  woman  sat  down  to  her  sewing,  and  for 
several  moments  the  silence  was  unbroken.  Then  came 
the  tinkle  of  the  little  bell,  and  two  customers  entered 
the  shop.  Madge  heard  a  request  for  tobacco  and  a 
sporting  paper,  but  she  was  in  the  middle  of  some  fine 
printing  and  did  not  lift  her  head  from  her  sheet. 
The  proprietor  was  evidently  weighing  out  the  tobacco 
while  his  customers  studied  the  paper.  Suddenly  one  of 
them  spoke  in  a  reproachful  voice : 

'You  were  wrong  about  Friday's  race,  Mr  Edwards. 
Brownie  was  not  in  it !  You  have  not  been  fortunate 
in  your  tips  lately.' 

'Jolly  bad  .tips!'  cried  another  voice,  at  the  sound  of 
which  Madge's  pencil  slipped  from  her  hand  and  rolled 
across  the  table.  She  bent  forward  to  rescue  it,  casting 
at  the  same  time  a  lightning  glance  through  the  half- 
opened  door.  The  two  customers  were  still  standing 
before  the  counter,  the  younger  of  the  two  speaking  in 
hot,  excited  tones :  '  I  wish  I  had  never  taken  your 


224  THE   DISCOVERY. 

advice.  It 's  been  a  bad  business  for  me.  I  've  lost  five 
pounds  this  last  fortnight.' 

'I  wish  /  had  got  off  with  five  pounds,  sir,'  sighed 
the  tobacconist;  and  his  wife  echoed  the  sigh  with 
hopeless  resignation.  Then  the  bell  jingled  once  more, 
the  customers  left  the  shop,  and  five  minutes  later 
Madge  pushed  back  her  chair  and  prepared  to  follow 
their  example. 

*  Bless  me,  miss,  you  are  white ! '  cried  the  woman 
anxiously.  'Have  you  turned  faint?  Sit  down,  my  dear, 
and  I'll  make  you  a  cup  of  tea.' 

'Thank  you,  you  are  very  kind,  but  I  shall  be  all 
right  when  I  get  into  the  air.  The  room — the  room  is 
rather  warm.' 

Madge  gave  a  flickering  smile,  pulled  herself  together, 
and  went  through  the  concluding  interview  with  the 
shopman  with  creditable  composure ;  but  once  outside  in 
the  street,  and  lost  in  the  deadliest  of  all  solitudes — 
a  London  crowd  —  her  agitation  could  no  longer  be 
restrained. 

Oh  Barney !  beloved  Benjamin  of  the  family — radiant, 
clear-eyed  child — honest,  fearless  boy — have  you  come  to 
this  ?  Betting,  Barney !  Losing  five  pounds  in  a  fort- 
night— throwing  it  away  with  both  hands — while  at  home 
Philippa  sat  sewing — sewing  from  morning  to  night — 
mending,  turning,  contriving,  to  save  a  penny — while  Steve 
became  old  before  his  time,  and  Hope  grew  pale  and  thin 
with  anxiety.  A  rush  of  colour  flooded  Madge's  cheeks, 
and  the  indignant  blood  tingled  in  her  veins.  Then  came 


THE   DISCOVERT.  225 

a  sudden  terrifying  thought  before  which  she  paled  again. 
Where  had  Barney  got  this  money  ?  It  was  impossible 
that  he  could  have  saved  it  out  of  his  pittance  of  a 
salary;  the  home  exchequer  could  not  furnish  it;  then 
how  had  he  come  by  it?  Madge  walked  along  the  busy 
streets  pondering  on  this  question,  and  on  another  equally 
important — her  own  course  of  action.  If  she  could  save 
her  sisters  from  this  painful  discovery,  if  she  could  bring 
Barney  to  a  sense  of  his  wrong-doing,  and  pay  off  his 
debts  by  her  own  work,  Madge  felt  that  she  would  not 
have  lived  in  vain.  It  did  not  matter  how  hard  she 
had  to  work;  she  would  sit  up  half  the  night  gladly — 
gladly;  and  her  experience  had  been  so  encouraging  as 
to  justify  her  in  more  ambitious  flights.  She  would  set 
to  work  at  once  on  a  design  for  a  nursery  frieze  which 
had  been  in  contemplation  for  some  time  past,  offer  it 
to  a  West  End  firm,  and  boldly  ask  a  good  price.  If 
only  Barney  would  be  frank,  and  confess  the  whole 
truth !  She  reviewed  his  conduct  for  the  last  few  weeks, 
and  realised  that,  with  the  exception  of  one  outburst  of 
spirits,  the  boy  had  been  preoccupied,  silent,  inclined  to 
be  irritable.  She  studied  his  face  throughout  the  evening 
which  followed,  and  was  startled  at  what  it  told,  even 
as  Hope  had  been  before  her. 

It  was  not  until  the  house  was  quiet,  and  Barney  had 
retired  to  his  room,  that  Madge  found  her  opportunity. 
Then  she  knocked  softly  at  the  door,  was  told  to  come 
in,  and  entered,  to  find  Barney  hastily  covering  up  a 
bundle  of  papers.  The  action,  the  glimpse  at  the  papers 

Genius.  O 


226  THE   DISCOVERY. 

which  showed  them  so  surely  to  be  tradesmen's  bills, 
fired  Madge  with  fresh  indignation.  She  looked  fixedly 
at  the  boy,  and  he  returned  her  gaze  with  surprised 
inquiry. 

'Well!     What  do  you  want?' 

'I  want  a  little  conversation  with  you  apart  from  the 
rest.  I  was  in  that  tobacconist's  shop  this  afternoon 
when  you  came  in,  Barney — that  is  to  say,  I  was  in 
the  room  behind  the  shop  putting  a  few  last  touches  to 
my  sketch.' 

'Well!' 

'The  door  was  open,  and  I  heard  what  you  said.' 

Barney  sat  down  on  a  chair,  stretched  out  his  legs, 
stuck  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  and  looked  at  her  with 
an  air  of  insolent  calm.  The  worried,  downcast  air  which 
he  had  worn  on  her  entrance  disappeared  as  if  by  magic ; 
his  face  was  hard,  stubborn,  and  defiant. 

'Well— and  what  if  you  did?' 

'What  if  I  did?  You  can  ask  me  that,  when  by  your 
own  confession  you  are  betting  and  gambling,  and  lead- 
ing a  double  life — when  you  are  throwing  away  money 
which  is  needed  for  daily  bread ! ' 

'I  never  threw  away  any  of  your  money,  did  I?  You 
mind  your  own  business,  Madge,  and  leave  me  to  mind 
mine.' 

'It  is  my  business  to  look  after  you  and  keep  you  out 
of  mischief.  Where  did  you  get  that  five  pounds?  It  is 
bad  enough  that  you  should  have  lost  it,  but  did  you 
get  it  honestly,  in  the  first  place?' 


THE   DISCOVERY.  227 

'  You  'd  better  be  careful  what  you  say.  You  are  not 
talking  to  a  thief,  remember!' 

'How  am  I  to  know  that?'  cried  Madge  wildly.  'If  a 
man  begins  to  bet,  one  can  never  tell  to  what  he  may 
sink  next.  And  how  could  a  boy  like  you  have  such  a 
sum  to  spare  ?  Where  did  you  get  it,  Barney  ?  Wherever 
you  got  it,  it  must  be  paid  back  at  once.' 

There  was  no  reply.  Barney  folded  his  arms,  and  set 
his  lips  in  sullen  determination.  The  question  was  re- 
peated, to  be  ignored  once  more,  when  the  tide  of  the 
girl's  indignation  could  no  longer  be  restrained. 

'  Coward !  Despicable  !  To  see  your  sisters  slaving  for 
a  pittance,  and  to  be  content  to  be  a  shame  and  a 
burden !  If  you  cannot  work,  at  least  you  might  try 
to  be  a  man,  and  not  disgrace  our  name.' 

Bitter  words — bitter  words !  what  need  to  repeat  them  1 
The  girl  had  worked  herself  into  a  frenzy  of  anger,  and 
hardly  realised  what  she  was  saying,  and  the  boy  sat 
still  and  listened — the  boy  of  seventeen,  who  all  his  life 
had  been  the  spoiled  darling  of  the  household.  Ten 
minutes  before  the  stress  of  accumulated  troubles  was 
upon  him,  and  he  had  been  wrestling  with  an  agony  of 
repentance.  A  kiss  from  Philippa,  a  soft  word  from 
Hope,  would  have  brought  him  to  his  knees  in  a  flood 
of  penitent  tears;  but  the  lash  of  Madge's  words  hardened 
his  heart  within  him.  He  made  no  attempt  to  stop  the 
torrent  of  reproach,  but  when  at  last  she  came  to  a 
pause  he  rose  slowly,  and  standing  at  his  full  height, 
looked  down  upon  her. 


228  THE    DISCOVERY. 

'If  you  have  quite  finished,  will  you  kindly  leave  my 
room?'  He  pointed  to  the  door  as  he  spoke,  and  there 
was  a  look  on  his  face  which  Madge  had  never  seen 
before.  Barney  the  boy  was  dead :  Barney  the  man 
confronted  her  with  haggard  face,  and  spoke  in  a  tone 
of  authority  which  she  dared  not  disobey.  She  turned 
towards  the  door,  murmuring  disjointed  words  of  warning : 

'If  you  will  not  tell,  I  must.  Philippa — she  will  have 
to  know.' 

'There  is  no  necessity  to  disturb  Philippa  to-night. 
In  the  morning,  no  doubt,  she  will  hear  that — and  other 
things ! ' 

There  was  an  ominous  sound  in  those  last  three  words 
which  chilled  Madge  with  a  sense  of  trouble  to  come, 
but  the  door  was  closed  against  her  even  as  they  were 
spoken,  and  she  crept  back  to  bed  shivering  and  dis- 
mayed. Perhaps  if  she  had  been  gentler,  more  conciliat- 
ing— if  she  had  fought  with  the  weapons  of  love 
instead  of  anger — she  would  not  have  been  so  signally 
defeated.  Like  many  another  quick-tempered  sister, 
Madge's  anger  ended  in  self-reproach,  and  when  too  late 
she  would  have  given  the  world  to  withdraw  her  bitter, 
pitiless  words. 


229 


CHAPTER    XXL 

DARK    DAYS. 

| HE  next  morning,  when  the  four  sisters  were 
seated  at  breakfast,  Steve  entered  and 
stationed  himself  before  the  fire  to  read  a 
long,  business-looking  letter.  His  exclama- 
tions of  dismay  as  he  read  roused  the  girls'  attention, 
but  Steve  did  not  reply  •  to  their  eager  question- 
ing. With  set  face  he  handed  them  the  letter,  and 
one  by  one  they  read  the  unwelcome  intelligence,  and 
swelled  the  chorus  of  sighs.  Barney  was  dismissed 
from  his  situation !  The  manager  wrote  a  courteous 
explanatory  letter  to  the  effect  that  an  inexcusable 
escapade — the  last  of  a  long  series — made  it  necessary 
for  the  lad's  connection  with  the  office  to  cease.  He 
regretted  this  conclusion,  not  only  from  the  fact  that 
his  old  friend  Mr  Loftus  would  have  cause  for  dis- 
appointment, but  also,  he  might  add,  for  the  sake  of 
the  boy  himself,  who  had  many  good  points  and  was 
a  favourite  among  his  companions.  If  he  might  be 
pardoned  for  making  a  suggestion,  an  office  desk  was 
hardly  the  right  position  for  a  youth  of  so  much  spirit. 
Given  more  congenial  work,  he  would  no  doubt  do 
better.  It  was  a  kindly  letter,  and  one  which  made  its 


230  DARK    DAYS. 

import  as  palatable  as  possible.  Philippa  sighed,  and 
said,  '  Just  what  I  have  been  thinking !  It  was  too 
hard  on  the  boy  to  expect  him  to  settle  to  that 
humdrum  life.  Perhaps  this  is  the  best  thing  that 
could  have  happened.' 

But  Steve  was  not  disposed  to  take  such  a  lenient 
view  of  the  matter. 

'If  Barney  had  told  us  honestly  that  he  could  not 
stand  it,  we  would  have  done  our  best  to  find  another 
opening.  But  to  be  dismissed  like  this — to  be  turned 
away  at  an  hour's  notice — it  is  disgraceful !  Uncle  Loftus 
will  have  every  right  to  be  angry.  "An  inexcusable 
escapade  "  !  What  can  that  refer  to,  I  wonder  1 ' 

Theo  covered  her  lips  with  her  hands,  for  even  at 
that  moment  she  could  not  restrain  a  smile  at  the 
recollection. 

'I  think  I  know.  Barney  told  me  the  night  before 
last.  One  of  the  clerks  bought  an  alarm  and  left  it  on 
his  desk  while  he  went  out  to  lunch.  He  had  previously 
announced  that  he  was  going  to  meet  his  fiancee  in 
town,  and  take  her  to  a  concert  after  dinner.  Barney 
got  hold  of  the  alarm  and  set  it  for  nine  o'clock.  He 
knew  the  poor  creatures  would  be  sitting  in  cheap 
seats,  and  that  there  would  be  no  cloak-room  for  their 
things.  The  man  would  put  the  clock  in  his  hat  under 
the  seat,  and  at  the  appointed  time,  Cr-r-r-r-r,  off  it 
would  go !  He  would  not  be  able  to  stop  it.  I  asked 
Barney  last  night  what  had  happened,  but  he  would  not 
tell  me  much.  I  suppose  he  was  in  low  spirits  about 


DARK   DAYS.  231 

his  dismissal.  The  alarm  had  gone  off  in  the  midst  of 
a  classical  concerto,  and  the  people  around  had  been  so 
cross  that  the  clerk  had  to  rush  out  with  it  as  fast 
as  he  could  go.  He  was  very  angry,  and  went  straight 
to  the  manager  to  complain.' 

'  Oh  !  oh !  how  naughty  ! '  cried  Philippa.  Hope  was 
laughing  softly  to  herself,  but  Phil  looked  at  Steve's 
stern  face  and  dared  not  show  any  amusement.  'Where 
is  Barney?'  she  asked.  'Perhaps  he  does  not  like  to 
come  in  until  we  have  read  our  letters.  Call  him, 
Theo  dear,  will  you?  His  breakfast  will  be  cold.' 

Theo  stepped  across  the  narrow  passage  and  tapped  at  the 
door  of  Barney's  room,  waited  a  moment,  opened  it  gently, 
then  came  running  back,  all  scared  and  breathless. 

'  He  is  not  there !  The  bed  has  not  been  slept  in.  Oh 
Phil,  what  does  it  mean?' 

But  she  knew  what  it  meant ;  they  all  knew.  There 
was  no  need  for  explanation.  Together  they  crushed  into 
the  little  room  and  looked  around  with  haggard  eyes. 
Theo  had  a  dreary  sense  of  having  been  through  it  all 
before;  and  indeed  it  was  an  old,  old  story,  even  to  the 
torn-up  papers  on  the  hearth  and  the  letter  of  farewell  on 
the  dressing-table.  It  was  addressed  to  Philippa,  and  she 
read  it  aloud,  with  short,  gasping  breaths : 

'"I  have  lost  my  situation,  and  have  got  into  debt, 
and  lost  money  betting  on  races,  and  the  best  thing  I 
can  do  is  to  take  myself  off  and  not  trouble  you  any 
longer.  ...  I  can't  stay  here  to  be  a  shame  and  a 
burden." — [Oh  Barney  !] — "  If  you  and  Steve  will  pay  off 


232  DARK    DAYS. 

my  bills,  you  can  look  upon  the  money  as  my  share 
in  what  was  left.  I  will  never  trouble  you  for  any 
more." ' 

Here  came  a  great  dash  as  if  the  writer  had  intended 
to  end  the  letter,  but  at  the  bottom  of  the  sheet  were 
a  few  words  scribbled  in  uncertain  letters :  '  Good-bye, 
Phil.  I  '11  try  to  keep  straight  for  your  sake.' 

Philippa  looked  up;  agony  was  written  on  her  face, 
but  her  first  words  were  of  thanksgiving.  '  Thank  God ! 
He  is  alive  and  well;  he  will  do  himself  no  harm.  My 
poor  boy !  We  must  find  him  and  bring  him  home 
again.' 

'  Betting ! '  echoed  Steve.  '  Debts  !  I  can't  understand 
it.  We  kept  him  supplied  with  pocket-money ;  he  had 
a  comfortable  home;  what  more  did  he  want?  I  don't 
wonder  he  was  ashamed  to  face  us,  but  it  is  a  cowardly 
thing  to  run  away  from  the  consequences  of  his  wrong- 
doing and  bring  fresh  anxiety  upon  us.  I  wouldn't  have 
believed  it  of  Barney.' 

'It  is  my  fault!  Blame  me;  I  drove  him  to  it/  said 
Madge  desperately. 

Her  sisters  stared  at  her  in  amazement,  while  she  told 
the  history  of  the  last  afternoon  and  evening,  omitting 
nothing,  extenuating  nothing,  repeating  her  bitter  words 
with  unflinching  honesty.  Only  her  face  betrayed  the 
inward  agony  of  remorse,  but  that  was  eloquent  enough, 
and  when  she  had  finished  not  one  of  her  hearers  had 
the  heart  to  utter  a  reproach.  Philippa  looked  appealingly 
at  Steve,  as  if  asking  what  could  be  done  next;  but 


DARK   DAYS.  233 

for  once  the  set  face  refused  her  comfort  in  her  need. 
Stephen  could  be  trusted  to  do  what  was  right,  but  his 
search  would  lack  the  inspiration  which  would  come  from 
a  thorough  understanding  of  the  boy's  character. 

'  And  I  'm  only  a  woman ;  I  haven't  the  knowledge 
that  a  man  would  have/  sighed  poor  Phil  to  herself; 
then  she  stretched  out  her  hands  and  cried  sharply,  'I 
want  to  see  the  Hermit.  Barney  liked  him  so  much ! 
They  used  to  talk  together;  he  will  know  best  what 
was  in  the  boy's  mind,  and  be  able  to  help  us.' 

'I'll  bring  him  up,'  said  Steve,  and  turned  straightway 
to  the  door.  He,  too,  was  eager  for  a  man's  advice — 
a  calm,  masculine  judgment — to  temper  the  discussion 
with  these  distracted  girls.  Relief  was  apparent  in  his 
manner  when  he  followed  the  Hermit  into  the  dining- 
room  five  minutes  later,  and  summoned  his  sisters  to 
meet  him. 

'Barney  has  gone!'  said  Philippa  simply  as  she  put 
her  hand  into  the  one  outstretched  to  meet  it.  Then  as 
she  met  the  grave  tenderness  of  the  gaze  that  was  turned 
upon  her,  for  the  first  time  she  broke  down  and  sobbed 
out  a  wild  appeal :  '  Oh,  find  him  for  me — find  him  for 
me!  He  has  run  away,  and  it  is  all  my  fault  1 
brought  him  to  this  terrible  city,  and  shut  him  up  in 
an  office  all  day  long;  and  Barney  is  such  a  restless 
creature;  he  can't  endure  confinement  If  he  got  into 
trouble  here,  when  we  were  all  near  him,  what  will 
become  of  him  now  when  he  is  alone?  Oh,  find  him 
for  me  !  Bring  him  back ' 


234  DARK    DAYS. 

'I  will,  Miss  Philippa,  if  it  is  humanly  possible,' 
replied  the  Hermit  gravely.  And  then  Madge's  story  was 
retold,  and  the  question  raised  again  as  to  how  Barney 
had  come  into  possession  of  so  much  money. 

'I  can  account  for  some  of  it  at  least,'  Mr  Neil  said. 
'I  saw  that  the  boy  was  troubled,  and  found  out  that 
he  was  in  need  of  money.  Eventually  he  asked  me  for 
the  loan  of  five  pounds.  I  said,  "My  boy,  you  must 
not  begin  borrowing  at  your  age.  It  is  a  bad  habit, 
and  I  won't  encourage  you  in  it.  But  I  had  made  up 
my  mind  to  give  you  a  cheque  for  a  Christmas  present; 
and  you  shall  have  it  in  advance,  if  that  would  be  a 
help  to  you."  He  said  it  would,  and  I  gave  him  the 
five  pounds  for  which  he  had  asked.' 

'  It  was  not  right  of  you.  No !  you  should  not  have 
done  it.  It  was  leading  the  boy  into  temptation.' 
Philippa  spoke  in  tones  of  strong  reproach ;  but  though 
Mr  Neil's  face  was  troubled,  it  was  in  nowise  repentant. 

'I  have  been  a  boy  in  an  office  myself,  Miss  Philippa,' 
he  said  gently,  'for  two  years — two  long,  miserable  years 
— and  I  know — forgive  me  for  saying  so — that  there  is 
an  even  greater  temptation  in  being  too  short  of  money. 
When  a  lad  gets  his  first  taste  of  independence  it  goes 
hard  with  him  if  he  cannot  indulge  in  the  little  luxuries 
which  his  companions  enjoy ;  and  the  shops  seem  irre- 
sistible. I  hoped  that  by  means  of  my  gift  Barney 
might  be  able  to  pay  off  his  debts  and  start  afresh.' 

'You  have  been  very  generous  and  very  forgiving, 
Mr  Neil,'  said  Steve;  'and  we  are  much  indebted  to  you. 


DARK    DAYS.  235 

But  what  can  we  do  this  morning?  I  must  get  to  the 
office  as  soon  as  I  can,  for  there  are  already  two  men 
away.  It  won't  do  for  me  to  lose  my  berth  into  the 
bargain.' 

Steve  spoke  with  a  tinge  of  bitterness,  for  in  truth 
he  found  himself  in  a  painful  position — the  position  of 
the  elder  brother  in  the  parable.  He  had  never  got  into 
debt,  nor  betted,  nor  failed  in  a  single  instance  in  his 
duty  to  his  sisters,  and  it  was  a  little  hard  to  realise, 
as  he  did  this  morning,  that  to  each  one  of  the  four 
— Phil  included — the  curly-headed  prodigal  was  dearer 
than  himself.  He  looked  at  the  Hermit,  and  asked 
anxiously,  '  Can  you  come  with  me  ? ' 

'It  is  what  I  was  about  to  propose.  I  am  my  own 
master,  and  can  give  all  my  time  to  the  search.  We 
had  better  go  to  the  office  first,  and  try  to  discover 
who  was  the  companion  of  the  tobacconist's  shop;  then 
if  we  get  a  clue  I  will  follow  it  up.' 

'Right,'  said  Steve,  and  went  into  the  little  hall,  to 
find  Hope  already  brushing  the  coat  which  she  had 
taken  down  from  its  peg.  She  helped  him  to  put  it 
on,  turned  down  the  collar  at  the  back,  and  let  her 
hand  rest  against  his  neck  as  she  murmured  a  few  low 
words :  '  Dear  old  Steve !  What  should  we  do  without 
you?'  It  was  always  Hope's  way  to  divine  a  wound  and 
lay  a  healing  hand  upon  it. 

The  two  men  went  straight  to  the  insurance  office, 
and  interviewed  the  manager  in  his  room.  'Waxworks,' 
as  Barney  had  irreverently  dubbed  him,  was  unaffectedly 


236  DARK    DATS. 

grieved  to  hear  of  the  boy's  flight,  and  repentant  of  his 
own  share  in  the  catastrophe.  'I  liked  the  lad,'  he  said. 
'One  could  not  help  liking  him.  If  I  had  consulted 
my  own  wishes  only  I  should  have  lectured  him  and  let 
him  stay  on,  but  in  a  big  place  like  this  it  is  necessary 
to  keep  a  firm  hand.  I  had  overlooked  several  breaches  of 
discipline,  and  it  could  not  go  on.  He  must  be  found, 
of  course;  and  then,  if  you  take  my  advice,  you  will  let 
him  live  an  out-of-door  life.  Send  him  abroad.  He  is 
just  the  type  that  is  wanted  in  the  colonies.  E"ow  I'll 
send  for  Young,  and  you  can  question  him  as  you  please.' 
Mr  Young,  however,  had  no  light  to  throw  upon  the 
subject;  neither  had  Barney's  special  companions  among 
the  clerks,  who  were  interviewed  in  their  turn.  The  lad 
had  left  the  office  alone,  so  that  the  identity  of  his 
companion  still  remained  a  mystery,  which  the  tobacco- 
nist alone  could  solve.  The  two  therefore  made  their 
way  to  the  little  shop,  where  Madge's  sketch  was  dis- 
played in  all  its  glory  in  the  window,  but  neither 
brother  nor  friend  had  the  heart  to  laugh  at  it  to-day. 
The  tinkling  bell  announced  their  entrance  to  the  pro- 
prietor, and  they  lost  no  time  in  telling  him  the  object 
of  their  visit.  Two  young  gentlemen  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  his  shop  and  asking  his  advice  on 
racing  matters,  their  last  call  happening  the  night  before, 
somewhere  about  five  o'clock.  The  younger  of  the  two 
was  tall,  dark,  and  handsome;  for  private  reasons  his 
friends  were  anxious  to  interview  his  companion.  Who 
was  he,  and  where  employed1? 


DARK   DATS.  237 

Did  the  man  know  or  did  he  not?  He  professed 
utter  ignorance,  but  there  was  a  slyness  on  his  face 
which  did  not  escape  the  notice  of  his  questioners.  A 
number  of  gentlemen  came  to  his  shop ;  sometimes  they 
did  happen  to  talk  of  a  race  if  it  was  near  at  hand ; 
but  he  never  inquired  a  customer's  name.  Gentlemen 
wouldn't  like  it.  Couldn't  say  for  certain  that  he  remem- 
bered the  two  just  mentioned. 

'The  man  lies.  We  will  waste  no  more  time  on  him,' 
said  the  Hermit  sternly  as  he  turned  away  from  the 
door.  'Go  back  to  your  office,  Charrington,  and  leave  me 
to  see  the  police  and  put  an  advertisement  in  the  papers. 
That  is  all  that  we  can  do  at  the  moment,  though  I  shall 
not  rest  until  I  have  tracked  that  unknown  friend.  He 
will  probably  be  able  to  tell  us  more  than  any  one  else. 
I'll  think  out  a  plan  of  action  for  the  next  few  days. 
This  is  my  business  as  well  as  yours;  for  the  boy  has 
been  like  a  young  brother  to  me  this  last  year.' 

Looking  back  on  the  days  which  followed  Barney's 
disappearance,  the  Charringtons  were  often  puzzled  to 
understand  how  they  endured  the  strain  and  suspense,  and 
marvelled  at  their  own  composure.  Day  after  day  the 
Hermit  continued  his  search,  and  came  home  weary  and 
disappointed ;  day  by  day  Philippa  listened  to  his  report 
with  a  steady  face,  and  abated  not  one  of  her  usual 
efforts  for  the  comfort  of  the  household,  while  the  three 
younger  sisters  set  their  teeth  and  went  on  doggedly  with 
their  work. 


238  DARK    DAYS. 

'If  we  were  actresses  or  public  singers  we  should  have 
to  keep  our  appointments,  and  smile  and  look  cheerful ;  if 
we  were  clerks  or  teachers  we  should  have  to  turn  out  as 
usual,  and  be  patient  and  forbearing;  if  we  were  shop 
assistants  we  should  have  to  stand  on  our  feet  all  day 
long,  and  be  polite,  however  much  we  were  aggravated. 
We  are  poor  things  if  we  call  ourselves  working  women 
and  then  indulge  our  feelings  like  any  fine  lady,'  Tlieo 
had  said  sternly  to  two  drooping  figures  who  sat  by  the 
fire  gazing  at  idle  fingers,  and  she  had  no  need  to  speak 
a  second  time.  In  the  temporary  eclipse  of  Madge's  bright 
spirits,  Theo  had  taken  upon  herself  to  be  the  cheery, 
inspiring  member  of  the  family,  which  role  shook  her  out 
of  the  old  self-engrossed  groove,  and  suited  her  well. 
Now,  as  she  went  into  her  room  and  sat  down  at  her 
desk,  her  heart  swelled  with  a  sense  of  joy  and  gratitude 
for  the  talent  which  had  been  entrusted  to  her  care. 
She  took  up  her  manuscript  and  set  to  work  with  none 
of  the  difficulty  and  hesitation  which  often  hampered 
her  progress :  the  thoughts  crowded  into  her  brain ;  the 
right  word  came  of  itself  and  did  not  need  to  be  sought; 
the  difficult  point  was  overcome,  and  she  laughed  with 
delight  at  the  wittiness  of  her  own  dialogue.  Here,  then, 
was  a  discovery,  that  even  sorrow  had  its  compensation, 
since  it  brought  with  it  fresh  understanding,  earnestness, 
and  delicacy  of  touch.  "When  she  went  in  to  lunch,  the 
light  on  her  face  made  her  sisters  look  and  wonder. 

'No  need  to  ask  how  you  have  fared  to-day,  Theo,' 
Hope  said.  'I  don't  know  who  your  characters  are  at 


DARK    DAYS.  239 

the  moment,  but  they  have  been  good  children  this 
morning.' 

'Couldn't  be  better,'  said  the  author  brightly.  'So 
charmingly  alive,  and  saying  such  witty  things !  It  is  a 
curious  delusion,  but  when  I  do  my  best  work  I  always 
feel  as  if  some  one  else  suggested  it.  I  was  sad  enough 
in  my  own  heart  to-day,  but  as  I  wrote  a  little  sprite 
seemed  to  whisper  in  my  ear.  The  good  things  came! 
I  didn't  create  them.  I  suppose  the  really  great  writers 
often  feel  like  that.  I  am  quite  sure  that  when  they 
read  over  their  books  they  are  astounded  at  their  own 
cleverness.' 

'  It  must  be  a  very — a  very  agreeable  sensation.  I  have 
never  been  the  least  little  bit  surprised  at  mine.  I  tried 
to  work,  too,  but  I  didn't  get  on  well.  You  two  girls 
make  me  ashamed  of  myself,  but  I  think  sometimes  that 
I  was  never  meant  to  be  a  public  character,'  sighed  Hope, 
wrinkling  her  forehead  in  her  pretty,  wistful  fashion.  'I 
don't  seem  to  have  the  faculty  of  earning  money.' 

'Because  nature  intended  some  one  else  to  make  it 
for  you,  darling !  You  are  one  of  the  dear,  frightened, 
humble  little  creatures  who  need  a  big  strong  man 
to  stand  between  them  and  the  world.  I  do  hope 
you  will  marry,  Hope !  Do,  please,  the  first  chance 
you  get.  You'd  be  ever  so  much  happier,  and  it 
would  be  so  agreeable  for  us.  Marry  a  rich  man  who 
lives  in  the  country,  and  send  us  hampers  every  week ! ' 
cried  unsuspecting  Mndge.  It  seemed  natural  enough  to 
the  others  that  Hope  should  blush  at  the  suggestion ; 


240  DARK   DAYS. 

only  Theo  understood  the  meaning  of  that  blush,  and 
the  train  of  thought  which  suggested  the  reply. 

'I  think  I  shall  go  to  see  Avice  this  afternoon.  I 
promised  Steve  that  I  would  call  before  the  end  of  the 
week  if  we  had  no  news.  He  doesn't  want  uncle  to 
hear  about  Barney  in  town ;  he  might  be  annoyed  that 
we  had  not  told  him  ourselves.' 

When  Hope  saw  her  aunt's  face,  however,  she  knew 
at  a  glance  that  she  was  too  late  with  her  news, 
and  sat  meekly  listening  to  the  tirade  which  followed, 
thankful  that  she  was  the  listener  instead  of  Philippa. 
Her  gentleness  was  her  best  weapon,  however;  for,  having 
said  her  say,  Mrs  Loftus  began  to  soften  and  to  regret 
having  spoken  so  strongly.  Argument  or  contradiction 
would  have  incensed  her  still  further;  but  how  could 
one  go  on  scolding  a  pretty,  timid  creature  who  merely 
sat  still  and  looked  miserable?  She  paused,  frowned,  and 
finally  asked  the  amount  of  the  debts  which  Barney  had 
left  behind.  'Everything,  I  mean — the  whole  sum  for 
which  you  are  liable.' 

'I  think,  perhaps I'm  afraid  nearly  t — twenty 

pounds ! ' 

The  gasp  with  which  Hope  replied  was  for  the  mag- 
nitude of  the  sum  mentioned;  the  echoing  gasp  from  the 
other  side  of  the  fireplace  was  for  an  exactly  opposite 
reason. 

'  Only  twenty  pounds ! '  cried  Avice ;  '  the  price  of  a 
gown !  The  poor  boy  ran  away  for  that !  Hope  dear, 
•I  will  pay  it  myself;  I  will  give  it  to  you  this  after- 


DARK    DATS.  241 

noon  before  you  go.  You  sha'n't  be  worried  about  it 
any  more.' 

'It  is  paid  already,  dear.  Steve  saw  to  that  at  once. 
You  are  very  kind,  but  Barney  would  not  like  it,  and 
we  have  a  good  deal  of  money  still  left.  Philippa  drew 
it  out  of  the  bank.' 

'You  will  be  in  the  workhouse  soon,'  Mrs  Loftus  pro- 
phesied cheerfully.  'I  never  heard  anything  more  mad 
than  to  spend  your  capital  as  you  are  doing.  Just  think 
of  the  inroads  you  must  have  made  into  it  this  year ! ' 

'I'd  rather  not,  Aunt  Loftus,  if  you  don't  mind.  It  is 
always  the  first  step  which  costs,  but  we  have  made  a 
start,  and  hope  to  do  wonders  next  year.  At  the  worst 
I  shall  avoid  the  workhouse  by  throwing  myself  on 
Avice's  mercy. — You  would  have  me  down  at  the  lodge, 
wouldn't  you,  dear?' 

The  glance  exchanged  between  the  two  cousins  was  full 
of  confidence  and  affection,  and  Avice's  voice  had  a  new 
ring  of  animation  as  she  replied : 

'  I  should  like  to  have  you  always.  Oh  Hope  1  I  do 
enjoy  shopping  now,  and  seeing  the  girls  who  were  with 
us  in  summer.  Mother  is  quite  scandalised  because  we 
talk  so  much,  but  being  with  them  does  me  more  good 
than  I  can  say.  And  the  conjurer's  daughter  is  going  to 
be  married — to  a  magic-lantern  man !  I  thought  of  having 
them  down  for  their  honeymoon.' 

'Avice  is  far  more  interested  in  that  engagement  than 
she  is  in  Truda  Bennett's ;  and  she  is  to  be  one  of  Truda's 
bridesmaids,  too,'  said  Mrs  Loftus  in  a  puzzled  tone  as  she 

Genius.  P 


242  DARK   DAYS. 

pushed  back  her  chair  and  rose  from  her  place  before  the 
tea-table.  Hope  rose  too,  with  an  impulse  of  escape,  and 
bent  down  to  pick  up  muff  and  gloves.  Her  heart  had 
given  a  great  leap  of  fear,  and  was  beating  in  heavy 
throbs,  but  she  said  savagely  to  herself,  'You  sha'n't 
blush !  You  sha'n't  look  startled ! '  and  turned  an  un- 
moved face  to  her  aunt. 

'Miss  Bennett  engaged!     I  didn't,  know.' 

'You  can't  have  used  your  eyes,  then,  when  you  were 
with  us  last  year.  They  flirted  shockingly  !  It  ought  to 
have  been  announced  long  ago.  By  the  way,  Hope,  we 
go  down  to  The  Shanty  next  week.  You  had  better  come 
with  us  for  a  little  visit.  I  meant  to  write  and  ask  you, 
and  you  look  pale — as  if  you  needed  a  change.  We  shall 
be  almost  the  same  party  as  before.' 

'Dear  aunty,  I  can't.  It  is  good  of  you  to  think  of  it, 
but  I  couldn't  leave  home  just  now.  I  should  be  so 
anxious  and  troubled  that  I  should  be  of  no  use  to  you.' 

'You  must  come  later,  then.  It  will  be  all  the  same 
to  us,  but  the  others  will  be  disappointed.  Truda  asks 
after  you  continually,  and  Ealph  Merrilies  said  he  looked 
forward  to  some  more  delightful  music.  I  wish  you  could 
come,  Hope.' 

'He  wanted  to  meet  me,  then,'  said  Hope  drearily  to 
herself  as  she  took  her  way  home.  'It's  just  as  I  always 
thought :  he  cared  for  me  only  as  a  friend,  and  was  kind  to 
me  because  I  was  poor  and  friendless.  •  He  must  have  grown 
fond  of  Truda,  after  all.  She  is  so  bright  and  amusing ! 
I  suppose  she  showed  him  tricks  and  made  him  laugh ; 


DARK    DAYS.  243 

and  he  is  so  serious  himself  that  he  needs  some  one 
cheerful.  I  hope  he  will  be  very,  very  happy.'  Her  eyes 
smarted  suddenly,  and  a  sob  swelled  in  her  throat.  'But 
oh,  I  wish  I  had  never  met  him !  I  wish  I  was  not  so 
wretched !  Truda  had  so  many  other  things,  and  I  could 
have  made  him  happy.  It  is  hateful  of  me,  but  I  believe 
I  should  make  a  nicer  wife.  I  should  have  been  so  good 
to  him !  Oh  Kalph  !  Ralph  ! ' 

Alas,  poor  Hope !  She  pulled  down  her  thick  veil,  and 
cried  quietly  behind  its  shelter  as  she  wended  her  way 
home  through  the  busy  streets. 


244 


CHAPTEE     XXII. 

AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE. 

PEN  days  passed  by  and  brought  no  news  of 
Barney.  Steve  devoted  every  spare  moment 
to  the  search,  the  Hermit  was  unremitting 
in  his  efforts,  but  with  the  best  will  in 
the  world  they  proved  but  poor  detectives.  The  to- 
bacconist remained  stubbornly  uncommunicative,  and  as 
Madge  would  not  have  recognised  Barney's  companion  if 
she  had  seen  him,  it  was  little  use  watching  the  shop. 
The  insurance  clerks  were  interviewed  again  and  again, 
but  Barney  had  been  prudent  in  one  respect  at  least — he 
had  not  breathed  a  word  of  his  betting  transactions  in 
the  office.  He  had  vaguely  mentioned  'a  friend  of 
mine' — 'a  fellow  I  know,'  but  had  given  no  names,  and 
the  consensus  of  opinion  was  that  he  must  have  picked 
up  acquaintances  in  the  luncheon  hour,  when,  boy-like, 
he  was  fond  of  wandering  about  from  place  to  place.  The 
Hermit  lunched  diligently  in  all  the  principal  restaurants 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  office,  and  made  a  point  of 
entering  into  conversation  with  his  companions,  but  he 
failed  to  meet  any  one  who  remembered  Barney. 

'I  am  at  a  standstill     I  don't  know  what  to  do  next. 
I   am  afraid  there   is   very  little   of  the  Sherlock  Holmes 


AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE.  245 

about  me,  Miss  Philippa,'  he  said  dejectedly  on  the  tenth 
afternoon,  as  he  detailed  the  history  of  the  day's  search. 
It  had  become  a  custom  for  him  to  come  upstairs  to  tell 
his  story  and  to  be  refreshed  with  tea  and  scones,  and 
the  girls  welcomed  his  advent  as  a  break  in  the  long, 
anxious  day.  So  far  he  had  brought  no  good  news,  but 
while  he  was  devoting  so  much  time  to  their  service,  they 
felt  bound  to  cheer  him  for  his  disappointments,  and  the 
effort  was  good  for  themselves  also. 

'  Never  mind ;  if  you  were  Sherlock  Holmes  you 
wouldn't  be  yourself,  and  you  are  a  much  pleasanter 
neighbour  as  you  are,'  replied  Philippa  as  she  lifted  the 
little  copper  kettle  from  its  stand  and  poured  the  water 
into  the  teapot.  She  kept  her  face  turned  aside  so  that 
he  might  not  see  the  disappointment  written  upon  it,  and 
reminded  herself  for  the  hundredth  time  that  she  could 
afford  to  be  patient.  Had  not  Barney  promised  to  keep 
straight  for  her  sake?  Perhaps,  after  all,  this  separation 
from  home  might  teach  him  its  value  as  no  amount  of 
petting  and  spoiling  would  have  done,  and  on  his  return 
he  would  show  a  gentler,  more  disciplined  spirit.  Philippa 
would  never  allow  herself  to  believe  that  this  absence  was 
more  than  temporary.  She  handed  the  plate  of  home-made 
scones  to  the  Hermit,  smiling  the  while  with  some  of  her 
old  mischievous  brightness. 

'Hungry?' 

'I  had  steak  to-day.  I  find,  on  the  whole,  that  steak 
suits  me  best,'  replied  the  Hermit,  screwing  up  his  eyes 
in  judicial  fashion.  '  It 's  so  tough  that  it  takes  a  long 


246  AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE. 

time  to  despatch.  Then,  again,  it  takes  ten  minutes  to 
prepare.  I  calculate  that  I  can  while  away  a  good  half- 
hour  on  a  plate  of  steak,  to  say  nothing  of  after-courses. 
In  this  way  I  get  several  changes  of  companions,  and  I 
manage  to  work  round  the  conversation  until  I  can  bring 
in  Barney's  name,  and  inquire  if  they  happen  to  have  met 
him.  I  am  getting  quite  skilled  in  the  exigencies  of 
small-talk.' 

'  Poor  thing,  and  you  hate  it  so !  It  is  noble  of  you  to 
persevere  as  you  do,  for  I  am  sure  there  is  nothing  you 
dislike  more.' 

'No,  no;  don't  say  that.  It  is  good  for  me.  I  have 
studied  books  too  much,  and  men  too  little,  in  my  life — 
to  my  own  great  loss.  Before  you  took  me  in  hand  a 
year  ago  I  was  a  veritable  hermit,  and  the  old  habits 
cling  about  me  still.  I  feel  terribly  rusty  among  all  those 
bright,  alert  young  fellows,  and  they  treat  me  as  if  I 
belonged  to  a  different  species.  Do  you — do  you  notice 
anything  pedantic  in  my  manner  ? ' 

All  four  girls  were  in  the  room,  but  it  was  to  Philippa 
that  he  addressed  the  question ;  he  had  a  way  of  looking 
at  her  when  he  spoke,  of  which  the  girl  herself  was  grate- 
fully conscious.  Theo  and  Madge  —  even  Hope  herself 
— had  a  way  of  treating  her  with  affectionate  patronage 
as  a  dear,  kind,  preoccupied  Martha  who  could  not  be 
expected  to  understand  their  higher  flights.  She  had 
suffered  beneath  this  treatment,  and  was  delighted  that 
these  fledglings  should  now  see  in  what  estimation  she 
was  held  by  a  scholar  of  repute. 


AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE.  247 

'You  are  the  kindest  man  I  ever  met.  There  is  no  one 
else  among  our  friends  who  would  jeopardise  his  digestion 
by  eating  tough  steak  day  after  day  in  the  hope  of  doing 
us  a  service,'  she  cried,  deftly  evading  a  direct  answer, 
which,  if  honest,  must  needs  have  been  in  the  affirmative. 
Theo's  hand  advanced  cautiously  and  gave  a  meaning 
pressure  to  Madge's  elbow.  Madge  stared  into  space,  with 
wooden  stolidity  of  feature.  Hope  looked  wistfully  from 
Philippa  to  the  hermit,  from  the  Hermit  back  to  Philippa 
once  more. 

Then  suddenly  came  the  sound  of  the  electric  bell,  fol- 
lowed by  a  silence  of  expectation.  It  might  portend  a 
letter  or  a  telegram.  It  might  be  even  Barney  himself! 

Mary  opened  the  door,  and  some  one  entered  the  tiny 
passage  to  an  accompaniment  of  gasps  and  groans  and 
rustlings  of  silken  skirts;  the  air  became  laden  with 
scent,  and  a  second  after  Minnie  Caldecott  staggered 
into  the  room  and  sank  down  on  the  nearest  chair. 

'Where  is  your  lift?  You  horrible  girls,  what  do  you 
mean  by  not  having  a  lift1?  I'm  dead/'  she  announced 
tragically,  fanning  herself  with  the  ends  of  a  chiffon  boa, 
and  puffing  and  blowing  in  quite  an  alarming  fashion, 
until,  suddenly  catching  sight  of  the  Hermit  at  the  other 
end  of  the  room,  she  sat  up  straight  in  her  chair  and 
recovered  her  breath  with  remarkable  celerity. 

The  Charrington  girls  had  never  before  seen  the  fair 
Minnie  in  the  presence  of  a  member  of  the  opposite  sex, 
and  the  scene  which  followed  filled  them  with  delighted 
amusement.  The  lady  elaborately  prepared  herself  for  the 


248  AN   UNEXPECTED   CLUE. 

fray,  set  her  hat  at  a  more  becoming  angle,  pulled  out 
the  little  curls  under  the  veil,  and  while  ostensibly 
addressing  herself  to  her  friends,  sent  fascinating  glances 
across  the  room  with  her  big  blue  eyes.  The  man 
hunched  his  shoulders,  screwed  up  his  brows,  and  looked 
helplessly  miserable  and  ill  at  ease.  He  would  have  given 
the  world  to  escape,  but  the  buxom  figure  barred  the 
way,  and  he  lacked  the  courage  to  pass  by.  There  was 
nothing  for  it  but  to  sit  still  until  she  chose  to  depart. 

'Well,  I'm  thankful  I  have  found  you  at  home  after 
that  climb.  You  must  think  twice  before  you  go  out, 
when  you  live  in  a  bird's  nest  like  this.  I  nearly  turned 
back,  but  I  wanted  particularly  to  see  you  about  some 
business.'  She  caught  Hope's  eager  glance,  and  shook  her 
head  in  reply.  'Nothing  for  you,  dear.  No  more  songs 
just  now.  I  say !  you  are  white.  What 's  the  matter  1 
Have  you  been  ill?' 

'Not  ill  exactly.  We  have  had  an  anxious  time 
lately.' 

Hope  could  not  bring  herself  to  speak  of  Barney  to 
Minnie  Caldecott,  and  her  cheeks  grew  pink  even  as 
she  spoke,  for  she  knew  that  she  was  using  the  boy's 
disappearance  as  a  cloak  behind  which  to  hide  the  real 
trouble  which  was  sapping  her  strength.  Miss  Caldecott 
nodded  her  head,  however,  as  though  she  understood  all 
about  the  matter,  and  said  cheerfully: 

'Still  trying  to  make  your  fortune!  Better  give  it 
up,  my  dear,  and  follow  my  example :  I  'm  going  to  be 
married.'  She  threw  a  deprecatory  glance  at  the  Hermit, 


AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE.  249 

as  though  condoling  with  him  on  his  own  late  arrival  on 
the  scene.  'Told  you  I  should  come  to  that  before  long! 
Fact  is,  the  public  is  getting  tired  of  me  and  running 
after  newer  singers,  and  I  must  do  something  to  improve 
my  position,  so  the  day  is  fixed  for  the  third  week  in 
January ;  and  on  the  fifteenth  of  December  Minnie 
Caldecott  gives  a  grand  farewell  concert,  when  all  her 
friends  in  the  profession  will  give  their  services  for 
her  benefit.' 

'  How  kind  of  them ! '  said  Hope.  '  I  hope  you  will  be 
very  happy.  But  are  you  really  going  to  retire  so  soon? 
Your  voice  is  so  fresh  still — you  are  so  young' 

The  bride-elect  laughed  her  large,  hearty  laugh.  'How 
old  should  you  think  I  was  ? '  she  inquired ;  and  this  time 
she  addressed  the  Hermit  in  such  a  marked  manner  that 
he  could  not  choose  but  reply.  He  looked  annoyed,  how- 
ever, and  the  pedantic  manner  was  at  its  height  as  he 
said  shortly,  'I  am  afraid  I  must  confess  that  I  have  not 
thought  about  the  subject  at  all.' 

'  Think  now ! '  said  Minnie,  staring  at  him  with  her 
wide  blue  eyes.  She  was  like  a  big  baby,  Madge  reflected 
— a  huge  wax  doll — just  as  smooth  and  pink-and-white  and 
chubby — just  as  vacant  and  soulless  in  expression.  'Out 
with  it !  Don't  be  afraid,'  she  cried ;  and  the  Hermit, 
thus  goaded,  ventured  a  leap  in  the  dark : 

'I  should  say  somewhere  about  thirty.' 

Miss  Caldecott  turned  a  horrified  face  towards  her 
friends. 

'Well,    he    doesn't    know   how    to    pay    compliments. — 


250  AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUB. 

Thirty,  indeed !  I  'm  only  twenty -nine,  and  in  the  pro- 
fession we  always  knock  off  at  least  five  years.  No,  I 
am  not  going  to  retire.  I  know  a  trick  worth  two  of 
that.  A  few  months  later  there  will  be  another  concert 
— "first  appearance  since  her  marriage" — and  a  year  or 
two  after  that  a  second  farewell;  but  I  want  to  make  a 
big  splash  with  this  first  one,  and  it  occurred  to  me  the 
other  day  that  you  might  help  me.'  Her  eyes  wandered 
round  the  room  until  they  rested  on  Madge's  thin  face. 
'You  are  the  one  I  want.  You  designed  that  swell 
leaflet  for  your  sister's  entertainment.  Don't  you  think  it 
would  be  a  good  chance  for  you  to  do  one  for  me  now?' 

Madge  looked  at  her  quizzically.  The  Charringtons  had 
learned  by  this  time  that,  in  spite  of  her  beaming  good- 
nature, Miss  Caldecott  was  a  keen  business  woman,  and 
that  in  dealing  with  her  it  was  necessary  to  look  well 
after  one's  own  interests. 

'I  am  not  certain  that  I  can  undertake  any  fresh 
orders  just  now;  I  am  so  busy  with  my  advertisements,' 
Madge  replied  grandiloquently,  glancing  at  the  table  in 
the  window  on  which  lay  the  roll  of  the  nursery  frieze, 
now  approaching  completion. 

As  she  had  expected,  Miss  Caldecott  insisted  upon 
seeing  it,  and  went  into  raptures  over  a  spirited  render- 
ing of  'Hi  Diddle,  Diddle.'  The  cat  was  evidently  of 
Cheshire  origin,  to  judge  from  its  bland  and  benign 
expression;  the  cow  was  in  the  act  of  drawing  itself 
together  for  the  fateful  leap,  while  the  moon  rolled  ap- 
prehensive eyes  towards  it,  and  the  little  dog  clasped  its 


AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE.  251 

fore-legs  over  its  heart  in  an  ecstasy  of  amusement  In 
the  distance  a  gentlemanly-looking  dish  was  dragging  a 
swooning  spoon  in  its  wake.  It  was  very  funny,  very 
clever,  very  original;  for  Madge,  like  Theo,  had  been 
working  at  high  pressure,  and  had  been  inspired  to  do 
her  best  in  the  hope  of  paying  off  a  part  at  least 
of  Barney's  debts,  and  thereby  giving  a  sop  to  her 
troubled  conscience. 

'I  am  not  quite  sure  who  shall  have  it,  Mason's  or 
Fearing's,'  she  said  languidly,  mentioning  the  two  largest 
West  End  furnishers,  in  reply  to  Miss  Caldecott's  inquiry 
as  to  the  destination  of  the  design.  'It  depends,  of  course, 
upon  which  makes  the  highest  offer.' 

She  turned  her  head  cautiously  to  grimace  at  her  sisters, 
and  beheld  the  Hermit  wreathed  in  smiles,  nodding  en- 
couragement, waving  his  hand  as  if  imploring  her  to  keep 
it  up.  His  delight,  contrasted  with  the  baffled  expression 
on  Minnie's  chubby  face,  proved  almost  too  much  for 
Madge's  composure,  but  she  busied  herself  with  covering 
up  the  sketches,  and  presently  returned  to  her  seat,  and 
smiled  with  bland  patronage  upon  her  visitor. 

'And  now — er — about  this  concert?' 

'Herman  is  going  to  sing,  and  Marie  Ross,  and' 

Miss  Caldecott  reeled  off  the  names  of  half-a-dozen  well- 
known  artistes,  checking  them  on  her  fingers  with  an  air 
of  triumph.  'They  are  all  giving  their  services.  My  dear, 
it  would  be  the  finest  advertisement  you  could  have. 
Make  up  something  original  and  striking  in  the  way  of 
a  programme,  and  they  will  all  be  eating  out  their  hearts 


252  AN    UNEXPECTED   CLUE. 

with  jealousy.  You  don't  know  what  we  are  in  the 
profession,  but  I  do.  And  you  may  take  it  from  me 
that  every  one  of  them  will  determine  on  the  spot  that 
she  will  have  something  even  better  when  it  comes  to 
her  turn.  You  will  have  your  name  printed  in  the 
corner.  I  will  crack  you  up  as  the  coming  artist,  and 
they  will  all  be  running  after  you,  and  giving  you  more 
commissions  than  you  can  take' 

'On  the  same  terms?'  queried  Madge  blandly.  'Because 
if  so,  I  hardly  see  where  the  artist  comes  in.  There 
must  be  reciprocity  in  these  things,  Miss  Caldecott.  I 
cannot  work  for  nothing.  Now,  for  instance,  if  you  were 
going  to  sing  Hope's  song' 

Miss  Caldecott  looked  shocked  at  the  suggestion. 

'  My  dear  girl,  it 's  impossible.  I  'ni  booming  three 
songs  for  publishers  just  now,  and  get  half-a-guinea  apiece 
every  time  I  sing  them.  That  is  what  Hope  should  do : 
get  some  firm  to  push  her  things,  and  pay  for  having 
them  sung.  She  will  never  make  a  name  until  she  does.' 

'Just  so;  but  as  she  is  young  and  unknown,  they  don't 
feel  inclined  to  help  her.  It  would  help  matters  con- 
siderably if  you  would  give  "The  Song  of  Sleep"  at  your 
concert.  You  might  possibly  lose  ten-and-sixpence,  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  my  charge  for  an  illustrated  programme  is 
five  guineas !  You  would  have  the  best  of  the  bargain.' 

In  the  silence  which  followed  the  Hermit's  chuckle  of 
delight  was  distinctly  audible.  Minnie  looked  at  him 
sharply,  nodded  her  head  as  if  in  sympathy  with  his 
enjoyment,  and  cried  laughingly : 


AN    UNEXPECTED   CLUE.  253 

'She'll  get  on!  No  fear  for  her!  Knows  how  to  look 
after  herself,  and  her  sister  too.  Very  well,  then,  it  shall 
be  an  encore ;  but  you  must  do  your  best  for  me,  mind — 
something  very  fetching.  If  you  could  give  a  hint  of  a 
wedding  it  would  be  a  good  idea.  I  don't  want  the 
audience  to  think  I  am  retiring  through  old  age.  Thirty, 
indeed ! '  and  she  threw  an  indignant  glance  at  the 
Hermit,  the  while  Madge  laughed,  and  suggested : 

'Wedding-bells,  and  a  wreath  of  orange-blossoms  as  a 
bordering  ? ' 

'  Yes,  yes !  Just  the  thing !  Bring  the  sketch  to  show 
me,  and  we  can  consult  about  it  together,  for  I  really 
can't  manage  these  stairs  again.  I'm  so  pleased  it's  all 
settled ! ' 

She  rose  as  she  spoke,  and  prepared  to  take  her  leave, 
but  as  she  did  so  her  eye  fell  on  the  row  of  photographs 
on  the  chimneypiece,  and  she  walked  forward  to  examine 
them  in  her  usual  free-and-easy  fashion. 

'Family  pictures!  There  is  Hope  —  not  half  pretty 
enough,  though.  That  was  your  father,  I  suppose.  So 
clever,  wasn't  he  1  By  the  way,  how  is  that  young  brother 
of  yours  getting  on?' 

If  a  thunderbolt  had  fallen  through  the  roof,  the  occu- 
pants of  the  room  could  hardly  have  been  more  startled 
than  by  this  simple  question.  This  was  Miss  Caldecott's 
first  visit  to  the  flat;  Barney's  name  had  never  been 
mentioned  in  her  presence;  how,  then,  did  she  come  to 
know  of  his  existence?  The  shadow  which  had  been 
pushed  aside  for  a  few  minutes  now  returned  more 


254  AN   UNEXPECTED   CLUE. 

heavily  than  ever,  and  the  pale,  tense  faces  of  the  four 
girls  startled  the  innocent  questioner. 

'What  is  the  matter?  "What  have  I  said?  Nothing 
to  worry  you,  have  I?' 

'"We  are  in  trouble  about  our  brother,  Miss  Caldecott. 
He  has — disappeared,'  said  Philippa,  resting  both  hands 
on  the  back  of  a  chair  to  hide  their  trembling.  'Do 
you  mind  telling  us  how  you  came  to  know  him?' 

'But  I  don't  know  him;  only  heard  his  name  casually 
from  a  friend.  Handsome  boy,  isn't  he? — musical — sings 
comic  songs  and  dances  break-downs — up  to  all  sorts  of 
fun?' 

'  Yes,  yes ! '  cried  the  sisters  in  concert,  and  the  Hermit 
drew  near,  forgetting  his  embarrassment  in  his  anxiety 
to  hear  what  might  be  told.  The  five  pairs  of  eyes  were 
fixed  hungrily  on  the  silly,  pretty  face,  and  even  as  they 
looked  they  saw  it  change,  soften  into  sympathy,  and 
grow  sweet  and  earnest  and  womanly. 

'And  he  has  run  away,  has  he?  And  you  are  sitting 
at  home  waiting  for  him,  and  breaking  your  hearts. 
Poor  little  girls !  Wouldn't  it  be  lovely  if  I  helped  you 
to  find  him,  after  all?  Now,  I'll  tell  you  all  I  know.  I 
had  some  friends  in  the  other  night,  and  one  of  the  men 
was  turning  over  my  songs  and  found  "The  Song  of 
Sleep."  We  laughed  about  it  a  good  deal,  for  I  told  him 
it  was  half  my  own  composition.  He  noticed  the  name — 
Hope  Charrington — and  said  he  knew  a  young  fellow  of 
that  name;  who  was  one  of  the  most  amusing  boys  he 
had  ever  met,  and  could  sing  a  rattling  comic  song.  He 


AN   UNEXPECTED    CLUE.  255 

is  musical,  this  man  I  am  speaking  of,  and  is  fond  of 
having  little  sing-songs  at  his  rooms.  I  asked  one  or 
two  questions,  found  out  that  it  must  be  your  brother, 
and  told  Jim  I  would  warn  you  that  he  was  not  a  fit 
companion  for  a  lad.  Oh,  I  was  only  in  fun;  there's 
no  real  harm  in  Jim,  but  he  is  in  rather  a  fast,  betting 
set,  and  I  have  a  young  brother  of  my  own.  I  know 
how  I  should  feel  about  it  I  determined  to  give  you  a 
hint  next  time  we  met,  and  I  did  remember,  didn't  II  I 
am  so  glad  I  didn't  forget ! ' 

The  look  of  elation  which  accompanied  the  last  words 
brought  a  smile  to  Hope's  face.  She  had  reason  to  know 
Miss  Caldecott's  powers  of  forgetting,  and  it  argued  a 
wonderful  amount  of  interest  that  she  should  have .  re- 
membered Barney  in  the  midst  of  the  exciting  preparations 
for  her  benefit  concert.  She  slipped  her  hand  through 
the  plump  arm  and  pressed  it  gently,  while  Philippa  asked 
half-a-dozen  breathless  questions. 

'How  long  ago  was  that?  Have  you  heard  nothing 
since?  Where  had  he  met  Barney?  Is  he  in  an  in- 
surance office?' 

'Insurance?  No,  that  is  not  it.  He  has  quite  a  good 
berth  somewhere — shipping  office,  I  think.  Their  ships 
go  out  to  the  Cape.' 

She  drew  her  breath  sharply  as  she  finished  her  sentence, 
and,  to  judge  by  the  startled  look  which  went  round,  the 
same  thought  had  flashed  through  every  mind.  Shipping! 
Ships  that  went  out  to  the  Cape  !  What  better  means  by 
which  to  frustrate  the  most  diligent  search?  Barney  had 


256  AN   UNEXPECTED   CLUE. 

always  had  a  craving  for  the  sea,  and  if  this  unknown 
'Jim'  had  influence  in  his  office,  and  felt  himself  even 
indirectly  responsible  for  the  trouble  in  which  the  boy 
found  himself,  what  more  likely  than  that  he  would  help 
him  to  a  fresh  start? 

'I  shouldn't  wonder  one  bit  if  that  is  the  explanation,' 
cried  Minnie  triumphantly.  'Two  to  one  he  has  gone  off 
in  one  of  their  boats;  and  a  very  good  thing  if  he  has. 
Nothing  knocks  the  nonsense  out  of  a  boy  like  a  good 
long  voyage.  He'll  be  so  thankful  to  get  back  that  he 
will  settle  down  to  anything  you  like  to  mention.  Got 
into  trouble,  I  suppose,  before  he  went?  Nothing  serious, 
I  hope.' 

She  had  shown  herself  so  kind  and  sympathetic  that 
Philippa  could  not  refuse  to  reply,  and  Minnie  listened  to 
the  story  of  Barney's  debts  with  indulgent  sympathy. 

'And  so  he  ran  away  from  them.  Just  what  I  have 
longed  to  do  myself  a  dozen  times  over*  Now,  you  will 
want  to  see  Jim,  and  hear  what  he  has  to  say.  I  shall 
be  passing  near  his  lodgings  on  my  way  home,  and  if 
Mr — er — Neil,  isn't  it? — likes  to  come  with  me,  we  might 
interview  him  together.  He  gets  home  by  half-past  five, 
as  a  rule.' 

She  looked  coquettishly  at  the  Hermit,  who  was 
immediately  seized  with  a  paroxysm  of  embarrassment, 
twitched  nervous  fingers,  and  looked  as  supremely  miser- 
able as  if  his  last  hour  had  come.  With  the  energy 
of  despair  he  managed  to  blurt  out  a  few  words  to  the 
effect  that — 'Stephen — Mr  Charrington — home  presently 


AN    UNEXPECTED   CLUE.  257 

— like  to  be  present.  After  dinner,  perhaps — could  go 
together  if  Miss  Cakiecott  kindly — left  address.' 

'Well,  he  doesn't  know  how  to  flirt!'  Minnie  exclaimed 
blightingly  five  minutes  later  as  she  and  Hope  stood  in 
the  little  hall  for  a  few  parting  words.  'Can't  under- 
stand a  man  like  that.  No  patience  with  him  either. 
No  relation  of  yours,  I  hope,  dear?' 

'None  whatever;  but,  oh  Minnie,  you  should  not  want 
to  flirt  when  you  are  engaged !  I  do  hope  you  are  not 
going  to  be  married  just  because  you  are  tired  and  dis- 
couraged and  need  a  rest.  I  do  trust  you  are  not  making 
a  mistake,'  cried  Hope  earnestly.  'Are  you  quite  sure 
you  care  for  him,  and  can  be  happy?' 

Miss  Caldecott  laughed  lightly.  'My  dear,'  she  said, 
'if  I  look  thirty  in  my  best  new  veil,  it  is  more  than 
time  I  was  married.  And  I  am  so  tired  of  paying  my 
own  bills !  Jack  is  very  well  off,  and  I  intend  to  make 
his  money  fly.  It  will  be  a  new  experience  to  spend 
money  that  some  one  else  has  earned.'  She  paused,  looked 
for  a  moment  into  Hope's  wistful  face,  and  added  impul- 
sively, 'If  you  will  promise  faithfully  never  to  tell  Jack 
if  you  should  meet  him,  I  '11  let  you  into  a  secret  I  'in 
frightfully  happy !  I  've  been  in  love  with  him  for  years. 
It  was  difficult  to  make  up  my  mind  when  I  had  been 
my  own  mistress  for  so  long,  but  now  that  I  have  given  in, 
I  wouldn't  go  back  for  the  world.  It  is  nice  to  be  loved 
and  taken  care  of — far  nicer  than  being  independent.  You 
will  find  that  out  for  yourself  some  day  soon.' 

'  Dear   Minnie,    I   am   so   glad !     I   do   congratulate   you 

Genius.  Q 


258  AN    UNEXPECTED    CLUE. 

with  all  my  heart;  and  "Jack"  too.  You  will  make 
such  a  nice,  cheerful,  good-tempered  wife ! '  cried  Hope 
bravely ;  whereat  Miss  Minnie  indulged  in  an  elephan- 
tine byplay  of  bashfulness,  and  ran  rustling  down  the 
staircase. 

'An  appalling  woman!'  the  Hermit  was  reiterating  in 
the  drawing-room ;  but  none  of  the  sisters  would  agree 
with  this  denunciation. 

'  She  doesn't  wear  her  heart  on  her  sleeve ;  neither  do 
we,'  maintained  Hope.  'She  is  ever  so  much  nicer  when 
you  know  her  well.' 

'She  shows  great  perspicuity  in  her  judgment.  Did 
you  hear  her  say  that  I  was  sure  to  get  on?'  cried 
Madge;  and  Theo  smiled  as  at  a  pleasant  recollection. 

'Did  you  notice  how  her  face  softened  when  we  spoke 
of  our  trouble?  Her  lips  drooped,  and  her  eyes  grew  so 
soft  and  liquid.  My  next  heroine  shall  have  eyes  like 
that.' 

'And  if  she  helps  us  to  find  Barney,'  sighed  Philippa 
softly,  'I  shall  bless  the  name  of  Minnie  Caldecott  as 
long  as  I  live.' 


259 


CHAPTER    XXIIL 

REJOICINGS. 

|T  can  be  imagined  with  what  eagerness  Steve 
was  greeted  on  his  return  from  the  City  that 
evening,  how  he  was  hurried  through  his 
dinner,  and  despatched  forthwith,  in  company 
with  the  Hermit,  to  interview  'Jim,'  otherwise  Mr  James 
Matthews.  The  time  of  waiting  seemed  unbearably  long, 
but  when  the  two  men  returned  it  was  at  once  evident 
that  they  were  the  bearers  of  good  news.  The  companion 
of  the  newspaper  shop  had  been  found  at  last,  while 
Barney  himself  was  now  on  his  way  to  the  Cape,  working 
for  his  passage  in  the  capacity  of  steward! 

Briefly,  the  tale  which  Mr  Matthews  had  to  tell  was 
as  follows.  He  had  made  the  boy's  acquaintance  in  a 
luncheon-bar,  had  been  attracted  by  his  breezy,  high  spirits, 
and  taken  some  pains  to  arrange  further  meetings.  The 
two  had  attended  theatres  and  concerts  together,  and 
finally  Barney  had  visited  his  new  friend  in  his  rooms, 
and  become  the  confidant  of  certain  betting  transactions 
in  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  indulging.  The  boy  had 
begun  to  bet  on  his  own  account,  had  been  unlucky,  and 
had  called  at  the  shipping  office  one  day,  declaring  him- 
self in  trouble  at  home,  and  anxious  to  get  out  of  the 


260  REJOICINGS. 

country  for  a  time  at  least.  Mr  Matthews  told  him  that 
his  only  chance  was  to  ship  as  a  steward,  and  Barney, 
being  not  only  willing  but  eager,  was  sent  to  wait  his 
turn  at  Southampton,  and  had  been  fortunate  in  finding 
an  opening  three  days  after  his  arrival.  'Jim,'  as  Miss 
Caldecott  had  called  him,  appeared  to  be  a  good-natured, 
easy-going  individual  with  little  sense  of  responsibility. 
When  sternly  questioned  by  Steve  as  to  whether  he  con- 
sidered it  right  to  encourage  a  boy  of  seventeen  to  bet, 
he  smilingly  declared  that  'every  one  did  it — even  the 
little  office-boys  put  their  coppers  on  the  races;'  and 
refused  altogether  to  acknowledge  that  he  should  have 
consulted  Barney's  friends  before  sending  him  abroad. 

'But  you  were  the  very  people  he  wanted  to  avoid. 
There  is  no  need  to  worry  yourself,  my  good  sir.  He  has 
signed  for  the  round  voyage,  and  you  will  see  him  back 
in  a  couple  of  months,  all  the  better  for  having  to  rough 
it  a  bit  and  finding  out  what  hard  work  means.' 

This  was  his  opinion,  and,  on  the  whole,  Barney's 
brother  and  sisters  were  inclined  to  agree.  After  the 
suspense  of  the  past  weeks  it  was  a  blessed  relief  to  hear 
definite  news,  and,  with  a  good  ship  and  a  good  captain, 
there  was  little  fear  of  the  boy's  safety.  There  was  just 
a  chance  that  letters  written  at  once  might  arrive  at 
Capetown  before  the  vessel  sailed  on  her  homeward 
voyage,  and  Philippa  was  already  rehearsing  loving 
messages,  when  Madge  cried  eagerly : 

'Can't  we  do  something  to  celebrate  the  occasion?  Not 
to-night,  I  mean,  but  to-morrow.  We  have  been  in  the 


REJOICINGS.  261 

depths  for  so  long  that  we  need  a  little  festivity.  I'm 
tired  of  being  miserable  ! ' 

She  felt  a  passing  wonder  as  to  the  meaning  of  Hope's 
quick  frown,  but  Theo  chimed  in  with  an  eager  assent,  and 
even  the  grave  Steve  stretched  himself,  as  if  throwing  off 
a  burden,  and  looked  pleased  at  the  suggestion. 

'I  believe  we  should  all  be  the  better  for  a  change. 
There  has  been  too  much  work  and  too  little  play  lately 
to  be  good  for  any  of  us.  The  question  is,  what  can  we 
do  that  is  cheap  and  exciting?' 

Madge's  grimace  was  the  reverse  of  approving. 

'The  greatest  change  we  could  have  would  be  to  be 
expensive  and  lazy.  It  is  not  my  idea  of  pleasure  to 
stand  shivering  in  a  queue  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and 
hunt  for  omnibuses  after  a  performance.  I  want  to  see 
how  the  other  people  live — the  people  who  toil  not,  neither 
wear  their  last  year's  clothes !  I  should  like  to  dine  at 
the  Carlton,  and  sit  in  the  hall  after  dinner  watching  the 
coming  and  going — the  pretty  girls  in  their  fashion-plate 
cloaks,  and  the  old  ladies  in  sables  and  diamonds,  going 
out  to  theatres  and  evening  receptions — and  watch  the 
flirtations,  and  listen  to  Theo  making  up  stories.  It  would 
be  so  good  for  us  both;  we  should  get  lots  of  ideas.' 

'  I  'm  afraid ' began  Steve  the  prudent,  but  the 

Hermit  did  not  give  him  time  to  finish. 

'I  will  engage  a  table  at  the  Carlton  to-morrow  morn- 
ing,' he  cried.  'You  shall  all  come  and  dine  with  me. 
It  is  a  capital  idea.  I'm  very  much  obliged  to  Miss 
Madge  for  suggesting  it.' 


262  REJOICINGS. 

Polite  murmurs  of  dissent  greeted  this  speech.  Steve 
cried,  'No,  no,  my  dear  fellow;  we  couldn't  think  of  it.' 
Philippa  blushed,  and  declared,  'You  mustn't,  Mr  Neil; 
you  really  mustn't.'  But  the  Hermit  was  firm  and  would 
brook  no  refusal. 

'It  is  impossible  for  me  to  entertain  at  home,  and  it 
is  quite  time  that  you  dined  with  me  for  a  change.  I 
have  been  your  guest  for  about  fifty  Sunday-night 
suppers.' 

'Cold  roast  beef  and  beetroot  in  winter;  cold  lamb 
and  mint-sauce  in  summer !  There  is  an  appalling  lack 
of  variety  in  the  menus  of  an  English  household,'  said 
Madge,  with  an  expressive  grimace.  '  When  I  am  married 
I  shall  make  a  point  of  serving  my  loved  one  with 
constant  surprises.' 

'You  will  find  it  more  difficult  than  painting  pictures. 
What  is  one  to  do  in  winter,  when  poultry  is  so  dear 
and  none  of  the  nice  spring  things  have  come  in  1 '  queried 
the  dear,  literal  Martha,  looking  straight  at  the  Hermit  as 
she  spoke,  as  if  asking  him  to  vindicate  her  house-keep- 
ing abilities;  the  which  he  proceeded  to  do  with  a  zeal 
untempered  by  knowledge,  while  Hope  studied  his  face 
with  anxious  eyes,  and  Madge  sat  silent,  a  monument  of 
long-chinned  solemnity. 

No  further  objections  were  made  to  the  Hermit's  invita- 
tion— which,  in  truth,  was  too  tempting  to  be  refused — 
and  the  next  morning  was  spent  in  hunting  up  old  fineries, 
turning  ribbons,  washing  laces,  and  sewing  them  on  again 
in  as  near  an  imitation  of  the  latest  Parisian  fashion  as 


REJOICINGS.  263 

could  be  obtained  with  insufficient  quantities  and  'prentice 
fingers. 

'To  tliink  that  it  is  eighteen  months  since  I  wore  an 
evening-dress ! '  sighed  Madge  tragically.  '  Do  you  re- 
member how  I  talked  of  holding  a  salon  for  all  the 
greatest  intellects  in  London?  It  is  rather  a  come-down 
to  reflect  that  the  Hermit  is  the  only  youngish  man  who 
lias  crossed  this  threshold  since  we  came.  And  he  is  no 

good  to  me  either,  for' She  looked  round  the  room 

to  make  sure  that  Philippa  was  not  present.  'I'll  tell 
you  a  secret,  Theo.  He  is — not  falling — he  could  not  do 
anything  so  precipitate — but  crawling  in  love  with  Philj 
but  he  will  never  find  it  out  unless  somebody  tells 
Mm!' 

'I'll  tell  you  another  stale  item.  Phil  is  crawling  in 
love  with  him  too;  but  wild  horses  wouldn't  make  her 
confess  it.  If  he  ever  winds  himself  up  to  proposing,  she 
will  refuse  him  for  the  sake  of  the  family  and  never  say 
a  word  about  it,  but  only  snap  off  our  heads,  and  grow 
so  cross  and  cantankerous  that  there  will  be  no  living 
with  her.' 

This  from  Theo.  The  other  ungrateful  sister  shrugged 
her  shoulders  and  exclaimed,  '  What  a  nuisance  it  is 
when  people  will  make  martyrs  of  themselves !  Now,  it 
would  really  be  very  nice  if  Phil  lived  on  the  next  land- 
ing, and  could  run  in  and  out  half-a-dozen  times  a  day ; 
and  though  the  Hermit  is  not  my  passion,  he  is  a  worthy 
old  thing,  and  would  make  a  devoted  husband.  It  strikes 
me,  my  dear,  that  you  and  I  will  have  to  take  this 


264  REJOICINGS. 

matter  in  hand.  It  is  no  use  asking  Hope.  She  has 
grown  so  proper  lately  that  I  am  quite  afraid  of  her.' 

'  Oh  no,  we  won't  ask  Hope ! '  said  Theo  quickly. 
'But  really  it  would  be  rather  fun  to  see  what  we  could 
do — as  good  as  a  story  in  real  life.  The  first  step  is  to 
make  them  aware  of  their  own  feelings.  But  how  is  it 
to  be  done?' 

'We  might  try  jealousy.  How  would  it  be  if  I  flirted 
with  him  violently  under  her  very  eyes?' 

'He  would  be  horribly  bored,  without  understanding  in 
the  least  what  you  were  trying  to  do,  and  Phil  would 
forbid  him  the  house  in  case  you  were  blighted  in  your 
youthful  affections.' 

'Should  we  take  him  aside,  then,  and  drop  a  casual 
hint  of  the  curate  who  proposed  to  her  in  Leabourne?' 

'My  dear,  he  would  take  fright  on  the  moment  and 
consider  it  his  duty  to  stand  aside  in  favour  of  a 
better  man.  He  is  so  absurdly  quixotic  that  he  would 
positively  enjoy  immolating  himself.' 

'What  about  pity,  then?  Snub  Phil  violently  in  his 
presence,  and  confide  to  her  in  secret  that  his  cough 
sounds  consumptive !  That  would  make  them  sorry  for 
each  other,  you  see,  and  rouse  a  desire  to  help.  They 
would  sympathise,  and  grow  sentimental,  and' 

'It  might  do,'  said  Theo  thoughtfully.  'Really,  Madge, 
you  ought  to  write  instead  of  me ;  you  are  far  more 
inventive.  My  only  idea  is  propinquity.  Impress  upon 
Phil  that  the  Hermit  is  her  best  counsellor  in  all  matters 
concerning  Barney,  and  advise  her  to  talk  things  over 


REJOICINGS.  265 

quietly  with  him  whon  Steve  is  not  present.  The  Hermit 
lias  about  as  much  worldly  wisdom  as  a  bahe  in  arms,  and 
consequently  would  he  immensely  flattered  by  being  asked 
to  impart  it.  He  will  repeat  all  her  suggestions  with  an 
air  of  wisdom,  and  Phil  will  dote  upon  him  for  helping 
her  to  her  own  way.' 

'  Propinquity  does  it !  We  will  be  as  innocent  as 
cherubs,  and  have  smashing  headaches  when  he  comes  to 
call.  Also,  it  might  be  well  to  take  a  more  active  share 
in  the  housekeeping  department,  in  order  to  show  Phil 
that  she  is  not  so  indispensable  as  she  imagines.  We 
must  be  cruel  to  be  kind.' 

Theo's  shoulders  shook  with  laughter,  and  just  at  that 
moment  in  marched  Philippa  herself,  looking  round  with 
an  air  of  surprise. 

'  What  is  the  matter  with  you  two  this  morning  ?  You 
are  giggling  like  a  couple  of  schoolgirls.' 

'We  are  so  excited  at  the  prospect  of  this  evening! 
What  have  you  been  so  busy  about  in  your  room? 
Writing  to  Barney?' 

'N — not  just  lately,'  faltered  Phil,  and  blushed  in 
guilty  fashion.  As  a  matter  of  fact  she  had  been  trying 
experiments  in  hairdressing,  and  studying  her  profile  to 
see  which  arrangement  gave  the  best  effect  to — or — to  any 
one  who  happened  to  be  seated  by  her  side !  '  How  are 
you  getting  on  with  your  work?'  she  asked,  eager  to 
change  the  subject,  when  Madge  held  up  the  venerable 
chiffon  bodice  on  which  she  had  been  sewing  'applica- 
tions' of  lace,  and  regarded  it  with  critical  approval. 


266  REJOICINGS. 

'Subdued  elegance  is  to  be  the  keynote  of  my  costume. 
I  shall  wear  no  jewels !  I  don't  think  it  is  in  good  taste 
for  a  young  girl  to  wear  valuable  diamonds.  What  do 
you  think  of  the  arrangement  of  lace?  Exact  copy  of 
one  of  Lady  Godiva's  dinner-dresses  as  drawn  in  last 
week's  Queen.  Wouldn't  it  be  thrilling  if  I  were  mis- 
taken for  her  and  written  about  in  the  papers?  The 
only  drop  of  bitterness  in  my  cup  is  the  want  of  an 
evening-cloak.  It  does  give  one  away  so  horribly  to  go 
in  a  golf-cape  ! ' 

'No   one   will   know   you,    dear.     No   one    will   look    at 

you.' 

'Do  you  mean  that  for  comfort,  may  I  ask?  I  want 
to  be  looked  at.  "'Tis  sad  to  think  no  eye  will  watch 
for  us,  and  grow  brighter  when  we  come,"'  quoted 
Madge  in  sentimental  accents,  which  made  Philippa  giggle 
in  her  turn.  Then  for  some  mysterious  reason  she  blushed 
again,  and  strolled  over  towards  the  window. 

'Hot,  dear?'  queried  Madge  blandly.  'Koom  rather 
warm,  perhaps — too  big  fire.' 

'So  extravagant,  too,  on  a  mild  day  like  this!  I  really 
must  speak  to  Mary  about  using  so  much  coal,'  said  Theo, 
with  a  frown.  She  went  on  with  her  sewing,  apparently 
unconscious  of  the  wide-eyed  amazement  with  which 
Philippa  regarded  her.  The  skies  were  going  to  fall 
indeed  when  Miss  Theo  troubled  herself  about  an  item  of 
domestic  economy ! 

There  was  something  rather  pathetic  about  the  glee 
with  which  the  four  sisters  made  their  toilets  a  few  hours 


REJOICINGS.  267 

later.  The  night's  entertainment,  which  would  have  seemed 
so  tame  and  ordinary  to  most  girls  of  their  age,  appeared 
a  very  frenzy  of  excitement  after  their  year  of  hard  work 
and  privation.  They  laughed  and  chattered  like  so  many 
magpies,  ran  about  from  room  to  room  in  lace  petticoats 
and  pretty  low  bodices,  and  sat  in  turns  before  the  dining- 
room  fire,  while  Hope — happy  possessor  of  natural  curls ! 
— heated  irons  and  waved  and  crimped  with  such  artistic 
skill  that,  as  Madge  gleefully  declared,  the  three  heads 
were  'transformations'  indeed — far  more  like  toupees  than 
natural  growth. 

Philippa  wore  her  mother's  lace,  which  gave  a  regal  air 
to  the  old  black  silk  dress;  Hope  was  lovely,  as  usual,  in 
her  professional  white  ;  Madge's  '  subdued  elegance '  proved 
exceedingly  becoming;  but  Theo  was  distinctly  the  most 
imposing  figure  of  the  four.  She  possessed  the  French- 
woman's talent  for  putting  on  her  clothes  and  adding 
those  little  touches  which  go  so  far  towards  making  an 
effective  whole,  and  her  sisters  exclaimed  with  surprised 
admiration  as  she  came  rustling  into  the  drawing-room, 
a  chaplet  of  violets  crowning  the  graceful  head,  and  a 
couple  of  black  feathers  fastened  jauntily  at  the  side  of 
the  low  corsage  by  a  paste  buckle,  which  looked  exactly 
like  a  family  heirloom,  and  not  in  the  least  as  if  it  had 
been  unpicked  from  the  side  of  a  felt  hat  but  ten 
minutes  before.  Thrown  over  her  shoulders,  too,  was 
quite  a  vision  in  the  way  of  evening-cloaks,  manufactured 
out  of  a  summer  cape,  a  lace  collar,  and  the  beloved 
feather  boa  tacked  on  as  an  edging.  The  cape  was  un- 


268  REJOICINGS. 

lined,  and  far  too  thin  a  covering  for  a  winter  evening; 
but,  girl-like,  Theo  declared  that  she  was  'broiled,'  and 
insisted  that  suffocation  would  be  the  result  of  wear- 
ing the  nice,  warm,  ugly  shawl  which  Philippa  pressed 
upon  her. 

The  Hermit  came  upstairs  in  his  dress-clothes,  bearing 
in  his  hands  four  immaculate  white  camellias,  which  had 
seemed  to  his  old-fashioned  notions  appropriate  offerings  to 
present  to  his  girl  guests.  It  was  sweet  of  him  to  have 
thought  of  flowers  at  all,  but — camellias!  Theo  thanked 
her  stars  for  the  violets  which  she  was  already  wearing, 
and  dashed  from  the  room  to  warn  Madge,  who  promptly 
stole  the  chrysanthemums  from  the  dinner-table  and  pinned 
them  in  a  conspicuous  position.  Hope,  of  course,  was  too 
gentle  to  refuse  what  had  been  meant  so  kindly ;  while 
as  for  Philippa,  to  judge  by  her  ejaculations  of  delight, 
it  would  appear  that  nothing  under  the  sun  could  have 
given  her  so  much  pleasure. 

They  drove  away  from  the  door  in  a  couple  of  four- 
wheelers,  two  happy,  smiling  girls  on  either  back  seat, 
faced  by  a  hungry,  dress-coated  man.  The  dinner  was 
everything  that  fancy  had  painted  it :  all  sorts  of  delightful 
things  to  eat,  disguised  under  French  names,  and  looking 
so  pretty  that  it  seemed  a  sin  to  disturb  the  dishes. 
Music,  lights,  interesting  people  all  around,  at  whom  it 
was  a  pleasure  to  look,  and  who  looked  back  in  their 
turn,  as  if  equally  pleased  by  what  they  saw.  Steve  grew 
quite  frisky  in  his  enjoyment,  and  Philippa  and  the 
Hermit  became  delightfully  and  unconsciously  absorbed  in 


REJOICINGS.  269 

their  own  conversation.  The  little  party  lingered  over 
dessert,  loath  to  leave  so  interesting  a  position,  but  the 
settees  in  the  hall  were  presently  discovered  to  afford  an 
even  better  vantage-ground  for  observing  their  neighbours, 

Steve  came  over  and  demanded  a  place  beside  his  three 
younger  sisters.  'Neil  is  submitting  the  synopsis  of  his 
next  book  to  Phil.  You  seem  much  jollier  orer  here,'  he 
said  innocently,  and  the  girls  watched  Philippa's  absorbed 
face  in  an  ecstasy  of  admiration. 

'Doesn't  she  do  it  well?  Who  would  think,  to  look 
at  her,  that  the  very  title  is  beyond  her  comprehension?' 

They  turned  aside  to  hide  their  smiles,  and  became 
once  more  absorbed  in  their  old  occupation.  Fascinating 
groups  of  people  appeared  at  every  moment,  and  it  was 
no  use  deciding  that  you  would  have  your  next  new 
dress  made  exactly  like  this  one,  and  making  surrep- 
titious sketches  on  the  back  of  the  menu  card,  for  it 
was  no  sooner  lost  to  sight  than  another  appeared  fifty 
times  more  distracting. 

'  I  do  feel  a  worm  among  them  all ! '  grumbled  Madge ; 
but  when  Steve  considerately  offered  to  take  her  home, 
she  said,  'Thank  you,  dear;  I'm  enjoying  it  dreadfully. 
I  wouldn't  go  for  worlds. — Hope,  there  is  n  girl  over 
there  to  the  right  who  is  staring  at  you  with  all  her 
eyes.  Pretend  to  look  after  this  man  and  you  '11  see  her. 
There — by  the  lady  in  blue.' 

Hope  looked,  exclaimed  in  surprise,  and  the  next 
moment  she  and  the  strange  girl  had  risen  and  walked 
forward  to  meet  each  other  in  the  middle  of  the  hull. 


270  REJOICINGS. 

'Miss  Bennett,  is  it  really  you?' 

'  Hope  Charrington !  The  idea  of  meeting  you  here ! 
I  've  so  often  wanted  to  see  you  again !  Sit  down  here 
and  talk  to  me  for  a  minute.  Are  those  your  sisters? 
They  are  not  like  you — not  so  pretty;  but  the  one  with 
the  violets  looks  very  smart.  You  are  thin,  but  you  are 
one  of  those  horrid  creatures  who  always  look  nice. 
What  do  you  think  of  me?  Do  I  look  worn?  Brides 
always  look  wrecks ;  and  I  vowed  I  wouldn't,  but  I  'm 
tired  to  death  already.  I've  come  up  to  buy  my  clothes. 
It's  to  be  in  February.  You  heard,  of  course?' 

'Avice  told  me.  I  must  congratulate  you  now.  I 
suppose  you  are  very  happy?' 

*  He  is  ! '  laughed  Truda  meaningly.  '  Quite  daft  about 
me !  You  met  him,  of  course,  down  at  The  Shanty,  and 
he  liked  you  awfully  much.  We  have  often  talked  of 
you,  and  arranged  to  have  you  down  when  we  have  a 
party  to  entertain.' 

Hope  smiled  with  stiff  lips.  He  had  liked  her  'awfully 
much,'  had  he?  So  much  that  he  had  wished  to  have 
her  as  a  visitor  when  Truda  was  his  wife !  Oh,  what  a 
fool,  fool,  fool  she  had  been  to  imagine  for  a  moment 
that  he  had  really  cared ! 

'You  will  live  in  the  country,  I  suppose?'  she  re- 
marked ;  and  again  Truda  laughed  and  wagged  her  head. 

'He  thinks  we  will,  and  I  am  very  meek  and  submissive 
now,  but  I'll  have  a  town-house  before  a  year  is  over; 
you  see  if  I  don't !  What  is  the  use  of  all  my  lovely 
clothes  in  a  poky  little  bit  of  a  village?  Would  you  like 


REJOICINGS.  271 

to  see  my  dresses?  I'll  take  you  with  me  to  the  dress- 
maker's some  day  if  you  like.' 

'Thank  you,  but  I  am  afraid  I  could  not  spare  the 
time.  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  ask  me.' 

'  Oh,  not  a  bit !  It  would  have  amused  me  and  been 
a  day  off  for  mamma.  Still  writing  songs  and  giving 
story-telling  entertainments,  are  you?  Oh,  I  heard  all 
about  it.  I  was  bothered  to  death  to  find  engagements 
for  you.'  Truda  lay  back  in  her  chair  and  looked 
curiously  into  the  fair,  troubled  face.  'Seen  anything  of 
Ralph  Merrilies  lately  ? ' 

Hope's  embarrassment  was  swallowed  up  in  surprise  at 
so  casual  a  reference  to  a  future  husband.  'K"o,'  she  said 
emphatically — 'not  for  nearly  six  months.  I  never  meet 
him  except  at  my  aunt's  house,  and  I  go  there  very 
seldom.  He  does  not  call  on  us  in  our  flat.' 

'  I  wonder  why  not.  He  was  awfully  smitten  with 
you;  and  wasn't  I  furious  about  it?  He  had  been  quite 
attentive  to  me  before  you  came,  and  then  he  had  eyes 
for  no  one  else.  I  believe  I  was  quite  jealous  of  you, 
dear.' 

'You  had  no  reason  to  be.  You  feel  that  now,  don't 
you?'  said  Hope  gently,  and  Truda  gave  a  complacent 
little  laugh. 

'Oh,  I  don't  mind  now.  He  may  care  as  much  as  he 
likes.  Reggie  is  a  good  little  soul;  I'm  quite  satisfied 
with  him.' 

'  Reggie  I ' 

'Reggie,  of  course — Charles  Reginald  Blake.     Who  else 


272  REJOICINGS. 

should  it  be?  Hope  Charrington,  you  don't  mean  to  tell 
me  that  you  imagined' 

'  Of  course  I  did  !  It 's  your  own  fault.  You  told  me 
— don't  you  remember? — you  told  me  yourself  that  you 
liked  him,  and  warned  me' 

For  once  Truda  had  the  grace  to  blush  and  look 
discomfited. 

'  Oh  well,  of  course,  there  was  always  some  one.  I  was 
rather  smitten,  but  I  could  not  go  on  caring  for  a  man 
who  had  the  bad  taste  to  prefer  another  girL  And 
Eeggie  has  been  so  faithful !  He  used  to  send  me 
chocolates  when  I  was  at  school  in  Brighton.' 

'He  is  a  dear  little  man — so  amiable  and  cheery. 
There  will  be  quite  a  competition  between  you  as  to  who 
shall  play  off  a  trick  first.  I  hope  you  will  ask  me 
down  some  day.  You  will  be  a  merry  couple,'  cried  Hope, 
with  such  a  heart-whole  laugh  as  had  not  been  heard 
from  her  for  many  a  long  day. 

Miss  Bennett  regarded  her  curiously. 

*  How  pleased  you  seem  !  Oh  yes,  I  '11  ask  you.  But 
perhaps  you  may  be' — her  eyes  twinkled — 'previously 
engaged.' 


273 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

ALL'S   WELL   THAT    ENDS    WELL. 

j|NE  dark  December  morning  Theo  found  a 
letter  lying  on  her  plate  on  the  breakfast- 
table;  not  the  long,  white  envelope  addressed 
in  her  own  writing,  which  her  soul  abhorred, 
but  a  business-looking  epistle,  stamped  on  which  was 
the  magic  name  of  The  Casket  Magazine.  She  gulped, 
tore  open  the  envelope,  and  read  the  golden  news:  'I 
have  read  with  much  interest  your  original  little  story, 
and  have  pleasure  in  accepting  it  for  the  magazine.' 
'Your  original  little  story — have  pleasure  in  accepting  it.' 
Theo  gulped  again,  and  laughed  with  the  tears  in  her 
eyes.  Oh,  how  often  she  had  dreamt  of  this  moment  1 
How  she  had  longed  for  it,  and  sickened  with  dread  lest 
it  should  never  come !  She  turned  a  radiant  face  upon 
her  sisters,  and  waved  her  letter  in  the  air. 

1  Hurrah  !  At  last  1  From  Mr  Hammond !  He  has 
accepted  my  story,  and  calls  it  very  original.  A  story  in 
the  Casket/  Girls,  do  you  realise  it?  Do  you  realise 
how  you  are  honoured  by  sitting  at  the  same  table  with 
me?'  She  laughed  again,  in  tremulous  fashion,  and 
Madge  bowed  elaborately,  coffee-cup  in  hand. 

'  Your    health,    my    dear !     I    look    towards   you  1     You 

Genius.  R 


274  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

have  done  it  this  time.  To  be  a  contributor  to  the 
Casket  is  like  being  hung  on  the  line  in  the  Academy. 
Sha'n't  I  brag  about  you  at  the  Slade?' 

'It  is  simply  splendid,  dear.  I  do  hope  they  will  put 
your  name  to  it.  It  will  be  so  disappointing  if  they 
don't,'  said  Philippa  the  tactless.  She  was  overflowing 
with  sympathy  with  Theo  in  her  success,  and  yet,  poor 
dear !  she  must  needs  call  attention  to  the  one  existing 
drawback ;  for  the  CasJcet  was  as  conservative  as  it  was 
high-class — scorned  to  invite  popularity  by  illustrations  or 
artistic  cover,  and  more  often  than  not  left  a  blank 
opposite  the  titles  of  stories  and  articles.  It  was  at  such 
moments  as  these  that  Theo  felt  that  she  could  endure 
with  resignation  Philippa's  speedy  marriage  and  departure 
from  the  home  circle.  Only  five  minutes  since  she  had 
heard  the  wonderful  news,  and  already  a  little  cloud  came 
floating  across  the  brightness  of  the  sky;  for  it  was  little 
use  appearing  in  the  best  magazine  of  the  day  if  no  one 
knew  of  it  but  yourself,  and  an  admiring  public  remained 
in  ignorance  of  your  name. 

'  How  horrid  of  you  to  suggest  such  a  thing !  You 
might  let  me  enjoy  myself  when  I  can,'  she  cried  irritably. 
'You  are  a  perfect  wet  blanket,  Philippa— always  sitting 
on  us,  and  depreciating  what  we  do.  It  is  too  bad — 
spoiling  my  pleasure  when  I  have  waited  so  long.' 

'  I !  /  spoil  your  pleasure — I  depreciate  you  ! '  Philippa 
was  fairly  gasping  with  surprise  and  wounded  feeling. 
'  When  I  slave  for  you  all  day  long !  When  I  take  every- 
thing off  your  hands,  so  that  you  may  give  your  time  to 


ALL'S   WELL   THAT   ENDS    WELL.  275 

your  work  !  When  it  is  through  me  you  are  here  at  all ! 
You  cruel,  ungrateful  girl,  how  can  you  have  the  heart 
to  speak  to  me  in  such  a  way  1 ' 

'I'm  sure  I  don't  want  you  to  slave  for  me.  I  am 
quite  capable  of  doing  my  own  mending,  if  you  refer  to 
that.  I  should  like  to  take  more  share  in  the  house- 
keeping, but  you  are  so  jealous  if  any  one  interferes.' 

'  Jealous  !  Oh,  oh  !  Jealous  ! '  repeated  Philippa  dra- 
matically. Her  eyes  were  beginning  to  grow  tearful. 
Theo's  dark  brows '  met  in  an  ominous  frown ;  there  were 
all  the  signs  of  a  row  royal,  when  Hope  came  flying  to 
the  rescue. 

'Girls,  girls,  be  quiet/'  she  cried,  banging  her  fist  on 
the  table  in  imperative  fashion.  '  You  shall  not  quarrel 
when  we  ought  to  be  so  happy  !  This  is  the  best  success 
we  have  had,  and  it  would  be  disgraceful  to  spoil  it  by 
quarrelling  like  babies.  You  are  both  to  blame,  so  no 
apologies  are  needed,  but  for  goodness'  sake  smile  and 
look  pleasant.' 

'  I  'm  sure  I  am  only  too  willing.  I  want  to  smile  if 
I  am  allowed,'  said  Theo  gloomily. 

'I'm  sure  I  don't  want  to  quarrel.  Perhaps  I  had 
better  go  away  and  leave  you  to  yourselves,  since  I  am 
such  a  wet  blanket,'  sniffed  Philippa  into  her  pocket- 
handkerchief.  Madge  gave  Hope  a  warning  kick  under 
the  table,  and  began  to  chatter  as  unconcernedly  as  if 
nothing  had  occurred. 

'You  can  always  write  "Contributor  to  the  Casket,  &c.," 
beneath  your  name  on  the  back  of  your  MSS.,  Theo. 


276  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

No  need  to  mention  that  the  et  cetera  means  the  Penny 
Penman !  And  if  you  intimate  to  all  whom  it  may  con- 
cern that  you  write  anonymously  for  the  Casket,  you  may 
get  credit  for  half-a-dozen  stories  instead  of  one.  I 
wonder  what  they  will  pay  you  for  it,  and  how  soon  it 
will  appear.  Won't  the  Hermit  be  impressed?  He  says 
it  is  the  only  magazine  worth  reading.  Do  knock  at  the 
door  and  tell  him,  Phil,  as  you  go  out  for  your  shopping.' 

Wily  Madge  wished  to  offer  a  sop  to  each  of  the 
combatants,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Philippa 
smile  faintly,  and  the  complacent  expression  return  to 
Theo's  face. 

'I  knew  it  was  a  splendid  story  when  I  sent  it  off,' 
said  the  author  modestly.  'Ten  pounds  at  least,  I  should 
think,  as  it  is  such  a  first-class  magazine.  It  took  me  less 
than  four  days,  with  all  the  correction  and  rewriting. 
Ten  pounds  a  week;  how  much  is  that  a  year?  If  I 
earned  five  hundred  a  year  it  would  make  a  difference  in 
our  exchequer,  wouldn't  it,  Phil?' 

The  olive  branch  was  held  out  with  a  smile,  and  as 
Philippa  checked  herself  on  the  verge  of  remarking  that 
it  would  be  difficult  to  sell  a  story  a  week,  peace  was 
restored  once  more.  The  housekeeper  went  about  her 
duties,  and  the  author  experienced  that  alternate  elation 
and  depression  which  follows  artistic  success.  She  had 
created  something  of  real  merit  and  power;  that  was  a 
thrilling  reflection,  but  quickly  following  came  the  dreary 
certainty  that  virtue  had  gone  out  of  her,  and  she  would 
never  be  able  to  do  so  well  again.  She  hastened  to  her 


ALL'S    WELL    THAT    ENDS    WELL.  277 

desk,  hoping  to  disprove  the  dread  by  writing  something 
better  still ;  but,  alas !  her  heroine  sulked  persistently, 
refused  to  be  cajoled  into  conversation,  and  after  being 
dragged  through  half-a-dozen  pages,  was  promptly  con- 
demned to  the  flames.  It  appeared  that  even  when  one 
had  begun  to  ascend  the  ladder  there  was  imminent 
danger  of  falling  off! 

Years  later,  when  Theo  had  made  a  name  for  herself 
as  an  author  of  power  and  originality,  she  used  to  look 
back  on  that  morning  and  smile  at  her  own  ignorance 
in  having  supposed  for  a  moment  that  the  battle  was 
won.  It  was  only  begun,  and  it  was  a  battle  which  had 
to  be  waged  to  the  end.  There  could  be  no  sitting  down 
and  congratulating  one's  self  on  victory;  no  relaxation  of 
care  and  study,  for  each  fresh  success  brought  its  onus 
of  responsibility,  and  made  it  more  imperative  for  her  to 
maintain  her  best.  There  were  times  when  she  thought 
wearily  of  Mr  Hammond's  suggestion  of  'the  bonnet-shop,' 
and  realised  that  millinery  would  have  been  easier  and 
more  remunerative,  but  there  was  never  an  hour  when 
she  regretted  her  choice  of  a  career.  It  seemed  to  her 
that  no  other  work  could  be  so  absorbing — such  a 
constant  refuge  from  self. 

Fortune  had  evidently  made  up  her  mind  to  smile 
upon  the  Charrington  sisters  this  Christmas-tide,  for  Minnie 
Caldecott  approved  enthusiastically  of  the  design  for  her 
concert  programme,  and  the  nursery  frieze  found  a  pur- 
chaser the  first  time  it  was  exhibited.  Madge  had 
summoned  courage  to  show  the  latter  to  'Pepper'  on 


278  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

its  completion,  when  he  found  a  dozen  faults,  and  made 
huge  pencil-markings  to  illustrate  his  meaning,  the  while 
the  artist  writhed  in  agony;  but  finally  he  turned  up 
trumps  in  the  most  delightful  manner  by  giving  her  an 
introduction  to  the  firm  with  whom  she  finally  transacted 
her  bargain.  Judging  from  the  experiences  of  the  past 
few  months,  she  had  a  future  before  her  in  this  par- 
ticular branch  of  her  art,  and  might  in  time  make  a 
comfortable  income ;  but  it  was  not  in  the  least  the 
work  she  had  coveted.  She  burned  to  create  great  sub- 
jects on  great  canvases — to  paint  with  strong,  lurid  brush 
— and  lo !  it  appeared  that  it  was  her  mission  to  design 
pretty  leaflets  and  comic  pictures  for  the  nursery.  It 
was  a  blow,  but  Madge  had  the  good  sense  to  realise 
that  it  is  better  to  excel  in  humble  work  than  to 
struggle  painfully  after  the  unattainable. 

As  for  Hope,  she  sang  and  danced  about  the  house  with 
a  sudden  return  to  her  old  light  spirits,  which  puzzled 
two  sisters,  and  furnished  valuable  copy  to  a  third.  The 
short  interview  with  Truda  Bennett  had  made  everything 
rose-coloured  again,  though  in  truth  it  was  a  trifle  exas- 
perating to  remember  Mrs  Loftus's  invitation.  Oh,  to  think 
that  even  now  she  might  have  been  at  The  Shanty,  with 
no  secret  promise  to  hinder  her  enjoyment  of  Kalph's 
society;  that  they  might  have  been  walking  together  along 
the  country  lanes ;  sitting  side  by  side  in  the'  evenings ! 

'That  tonic  has  given  you  quite  a  colour.  I  shall  try 
it  myself,'  said  Philippa,  looking  up  from  her  stocking- 
basket  to  admire  the  sweet  pink-and-white  face  at  the 


ALL'S   WELL   THAT   ENDS   WELL.  279 

opposite  side  of  the  table.  'Mr  Neil  was  saying  the 
other  day  that  so  few  town  girls  have  any  colour.  I  have 
lost  mine  with  sitting  so  much  in  the  house,  but  I  might 
try  what  a  bottle  would  do.  It  only  costs  a  shilling  at 
that  wholesale  chemist's.  I  do  look  such  a  faded  old 
creature  beside  you,  Hope;  and,  after  all,  I  am  only  two 
years  older ! ' 

Hope  laughed — a  delightfully  scornful,  reassuring  laugh. 

'  Faded  old  creature,  indeed !  when  we  were  only  remark- 
ing this  week  that  you  were  looking  handsomer  than  ever. 
And  happier,  too.  That's  because  Barney  will  be  home 
so  soon;  isn't  it,  dear?' 

'Of  course.  What  else  should  it  be?'  said  Philippa; 
and,  to  do  her  justice,  she  spoke  in  all  sincerity. 

Theo's  suggestion  that  she  should  consult  the  Hermit 
as  to  Barney's  future  had  been  accepted  with  an  unmoved 
face,  and  put  into  immediate  execution;  and  as  a  result 
of  the  conference  a  letter  was  even  now  on  its  way  to 
Mr  Neil's  younger  brother  in  Canada,  asking  if  it  would 
be  possible  to  receive  the  boy  as  a  pupil  on  his  large 
farm  and  ranch,  and  train  him  for  future  work  on  his 
own  account.  Philippa  shed  bitter  tears  at  the  thought 
of  parting  from  her  boy,  but  the  Hermit  insisted  that  it 
was  the  right  thing  to  do,  though  he  was  much  perturbed 
at  the  sight  of  her  distress. 

'I  seem  fated  to  make  you  cry,'  he  said  miserably. 
'Do  you  remember  that  first  time?  I  shall  never  forget 
your  face,  all  streaming  with  tears,  and  with  such  a 
miserable,  helpless  expression  1 ' 


280  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

'I  must  have  looked  very — ugly,'  said  Philippa,  with 
a  sob.  She  reflected  that  by  the  same  course  of  reasoning 
she  must  look  ugly  now,  and  dried  her  eyes  with  remark- 
able promptness,  while  the  Hermit  sat  in  admiration  of 
her  fortitude. 

If  Barney  was  to  be  at  home  for  a  short  time  only, 
his  sisters  were  determined  to  make  that  time  as  happy 
as  possible,  so  that  his  recollections  should  carry  Avith 
them  no  sting  of  reproach.  In  conclave  together  they 
agreed  that  the  dear  boy  would  be  embarrassed  and  de- 
pressed, and  that  all  means  must  be  taken  to  convince 
him  of  their  full  and  free  forgiveness,  and  to  put  him 
at  his  ease  once  more. 

'I  shall  go  to  meet  him,'  Philippa  said.  'It  will  be 
less  trying  for  him  than  having  to  see  us  all  at  once. 
And  I  am  going  to  put  up  new  curtains  in  his  room 
— he  hated  those  old  moreen  atrocities — and  make  it  look 
bright  and  cheerful,  as  if  it  had  been  kept  ready  for  him 
all  the  time.  I'm  going  to  be  so  busy  this  week,  I  don't 
know  how  I  shall  get  through  all  I  want  to  do  in  the 
way  of  preparation.' 

Alas  for  Philippa!  her  work  during  the  next  few  days 
was  to  lie  in  bed  and  burn  and  shiver  with  an  attack  of 
the  prevalent  influenza.  Hope  acted  nurse,  and  Theo  said 
blandly,  'Don't  worry,  dear;  I  will  look  after  the  house. 
I  know  exactly  what  to  do' — a  statement  which  the 
invalid  received  with  undisguised  incredulity. 

'She'll  make  an  awful  mess  of  it,'  she  sighed;  but 
Theo  had  no  intention  of  failing.  She  was  a  clever, 


ALL'S    WELL    THAT    ENDS    WELL.  281 

capable  girl,  who  could  do  most  things  well  if  she  chose 
to  give  them  her  attention ;  and,  as  we  know,  she 
had  a  special  reason  for  displaying  her  housekeeping 
powers.  She  put  aside  her  writing  for  the  time  being, 
studied  the  cookery-book  and  the  shop  windows  in  the 
morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  enveloped  herself  in  a  huge 
white  apron  and  put  into  practice  what  she  had  learned. 
All  old  housekeepers  are  apt  to  get  into  a  rut  and  supply 
the  same  dishes  over  and  over  again,  and  Philippa  was 
no  exception  to  the  rule,  so  it  happened  that  the  very 
novelty  of  Theo's  menus  commanded  success,  and  the 
invalid  was  constantly  assured  that  she  need  not  hurry 
out  of  bed,  since  all  was  going  on  swimmingly  without 
her.  If  she  shed  tears  at  the  intelligence,  it  was  put 
down  to  the  depression  which  was  a  part  of  the  illness, 
and  she  was  urged  to  take  a  cup  of  Theo's  beef-tea — 
'  Such  excellent  beef-tea ! ' — or  to  take  some  of  Theo's  jelly 
— '  Wonderfully  good  jelly  ! ' — by  way  of  restorative. 

There  could  be  no  going  to  meet  Barney  now.  The 
most  she  could  do  was  to  crawl  out  of  bed  an  hour  before 
he  was  expected  and  look  on  feebly  at  the  final  prepara- 
tions. She  searched  for  a  dozen  deficiencies — hoping,  if 
the  truth  were  told,  to  see  tangible  proofs  of  her  absence 
— but  all  was  orderly,  dainty,  and  appropriate :  the  best 
china  on  the  table,  flowers  in  the  vases,  the  fatted 
chickens  roasting  in  the  oven,  and  Barney's  favourite 
pudding  all  ready  to  be  served,  with  its  whipped  cream 
ornamented  in  professional  style  with  candied  cherries 
and  angelica. 


282  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

'  You  must  sit  still  in  that  easy-cliair,  poor  darling ! 
I'll  carve,'  said  Theo  kindly;  but  Philip  pa  felt  much 
more  inclined  to  snap  than  to  be  grateful  for  her  con- 
sideration. She  hated  to  be  out  of  her  usual  place  on 
this  evening  of  all  others,  and  to  be  obliged  to  play 
the  part  of  spectator  while  Theo  issued  orders  for  the 
prodigal's  reception. 

'Madge,  you  must  chatter  as  hard  as  you  can.  You 
are  always  bragging  about  your  powers  of  conversation ; 
now  let  us  see  what  you  can  do.  There  must  be  no 
awkward  pauses.  It  doesn't  matter  what  you  say,  but 
say  something. — Hope,  you  had  better  run  to  the  door 
and  meet  him  first — no  one  could  be  afraid  of  you — and 
sit  next  to  Steve  at  table,  and  stamp  on  his  toes  if  he 
makes  improving  remarks.  There  will  be  plenty  of  time 
for  that  later  on.  We  mustn't  spoil  the  first  evening. 
We  won't  let  Barney  linger  over  the  greetings,  but  hurry 
him  off  to  his  own  room  to  prepare  for  dinner.  It  shall 
be  served  the  moment  he  comes  back.  It  is  so  much  less 
formidable  to  talk  when  one  is  eating ! ' 

She  had  thought  of  everything — all  the  little  niceties 
of  consideration  which  Phil  herself  had  planned  but  had 
not  yet  put  into  words.  She  could  think  of  no  objection 
which  would  have  been  reasonable  to  advance,  but  made 
a  feeble  plea  to  be  allowed  to  be  first  at  the  door,  when 
Theo  cried  loudly,  '  My  dear,  with  that  face !  You  would 
frighten  the  poor  boy  into  running  away  again ! '  and  there 
was  plainly  no  more  to  be  said. 

At    six    o'clock    Barney's    train   was    due    at    Waterloo. 


A  big,  bronzed  fellow  threw  open  the  door,  and  seizing  eacli  sister  in 
turn  swung  her  off  her  feet  in  the  ardour  of  his  greeting. 

PAGE  283. 


ALL'S    WELL    THAT    ENDS    WELL.  283 

It  was  calculated  that  he  would  reach  home  before  the 
half-hour,  and  soon  after  the  quarter  Theo  set  the  front- 
door ajar,  and  the  four  sisters  sat  trembling  with  excite- 
ment, straining  their  ears  for  the  first  footstep.  Steve 
and  the  Hermit  were  to  bring  the  boy  home  from  the 
station,  and  Philippa  thought  pitifully  of  his  embarrass- 
ment as  he  sat  opposite  the  two  solemn  faces.  This 
home-coming  must  be  an  awful  ordeal,  despite  the  letters 
of  encouragement  and  forgiveness  which  had  been  sent  to 
Madeira,  and  again  to  Southampton,  and  for  her  own  part 
she  dreaded  to  see  the  bright  face  clouded  and  ashamed. 

The  moments  passed  and  no  one  spoke ;  it  was  half- 
past  six — twenty-five  minutes  to  seven — and  still  Barney 
did  not  come.  The  invalid  shivered  and  drew  her 
shawl  more  closely  round  her;  Theo  poked  the  fire 
and  swept  the  grate  clear  of  ashes;  Hope  was  in  the  act 
of  leaving  the  room,  to  peer  over  the  banisters,  when  a 
sound  from  below  startled  all  four  sisters  into  instant 
attention.  It  was  a  sound  with  which  they  were  all 
familiar;  perhaps  the  last  sound  in  the  world  which  they 
expected  to  hear  at  that  moment — a  burst  of  merry, 
boyish  laughter. 

<  Bar — ney ! '  gasped  Phil  in  an  incredulous  whisper. 
The  other  girls  stood  like  so  many  statues,  frozen  into 
the  position  in  which  the  sound  had  reached  them.  The 
leaping  footsteps  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  a  voice  called 
out,  '  Avast,  there,  my  hearties ! '  and  a  big,  bronzed  fellow 
threw  open  the  door,  and  seizing  each  sister  in  turn, 
swung  her  off  her  feet  in  the  ardour  of  his  greeting. 


284  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

Madge's  embrace  was  every  whit  as  loving  as  that  given 
to  her  sisters ;  for  Barney  had  forgotten  that  he  had  left 
her  in  anger,  forgotten  her  bitter  words,  as,  alas !  he 
seemed  to  have  forgotten  his  own  folly  and  wrong-doing. 

There  was  no  need  for  Theo's  elaborate  precautions; 
the  truant  was  as  absolutely,  transparently  at  his  ease  as 
if  he  had  been  out  for  half-an-hour's  stroll,  instead  of  a 
voyage  across  the  world.  It  was  his  sisters  who  sat  silent 
and  embarrassed  through  the  meal  which  followed,  while 
he  ate  three  helpings  of  chicken  and  pudding,  and  dis- 
coursed in  picturesque  fashion  on  a  life  on  the  ocean 
wave.  Steve,  always  anxious  to  improve  an  occasion,  had 
many  questions  to  ask  concerning  the  distant  lands  which 
had  been  visited;  but  though  Barney  could  converse 
fluently  enough  on  the  iniquities  of  the  sailors  or  the 
idiosyncrasies  of  the  passengers  on  whom  he  had  waited, 
he  was  but  a  poor  hand  at  useful  information.  What  he 
approved  was  'ripping,'  what  he  disliked  was  'tommy 
rot,'  but  these  descriptions  were  hardly  satisfactory  from 
a  geographic  or  climatic  point  of  view. 

By  nine  o'clock  Philippa  was  wan  and  spent,  and 
went  off  to  bed,  trying  in  vain  to  reason  away  the  ache 
at  her  heart.  It  was  all  so  different — so  very  different 
from  what  she  had  expected !  She  did  not  want  to  see 
her  boy  broken  in  spirit,  but  this  unabashed  assurance 
frightened  her,  as  indicating  a  deeper  carelessness  and 
lack  of  moral  fibre  than  she  had  suspected.  It  seemed 
incredible  that  Barney  should  show  no  sign  of  regret  for 
the  anxiety  which  he  had  caused ;  yet,  on  the  other  hand, 


ALL'S    WELL   THAT    ENDS    WELL.  285 

what  was  the  sense  of  writing  that  bygones  were  bygones, 
and  all  offences  forgiven  and  forgotten,  and  then  of 
lamenting  because  she  was  taken  at  her  word?  Philippa 
tossed  restlessly  on  her  pillow,  and  being  weak  and  tired, 
cried  steadily  from  the  time  she  lay  down  until  some  one 
came  into  the  room  with  her  next  dose  of  medicine,  and 
turned  up  the  gas  over  the  mantelpiece. 

'Don't,  Hope,'  she  cried  weakly;  but  it  was  not  Hope, 
but  Barney  himself,  who  raised  her  head  on  his  arm  and 
held  the  glass  to  her  lips. 

'Now  then,  old  lady!  I'm  no  end  of  a  good  nurse 
nowadays,  so  I  thought  I  had  better  come  and  look 
after  you  myself.  There  was  an  old  Johnny  coming 
home  from  the  Cape,  in  one  of  the  deck-cabins.1  He 
stopped  suddenly,  and  Philippa  knew  that  he  had  noticed 
her  tear-stained  eyes.  'He  was  very  bad,  and  I  had  to 
dose  him  every  hour,'  he  concluded  lamely,  then  bent 
over  her  with  curious  gaze.  '  What  have  you  been  crying 
about?  About  me?' 

'I'm — not  well.  It  has  upset  me  seeing  you  again, 
and  thinking  of  all  that  has  happened.' 

'Was  it  that  that  made  you  ill  to  start  with — my 
going  off,  I  mean?' 

It  was  a  curious  change  of  feeling  to  have  taken  place 
in  a  couple  of  hours,  but  Philippa  actually  found  herself 
wishing  that  she  could  answer  in  the  affirmative,  and 
casting  about  in  her  mind  for  some  honest  reply  which 
would  yet  lay  some  burden  of  responsibility  upon  those 
careless  shoulders. 


286  ALL'S  VVKLL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

'I  have  been  laid  up  only  a  week,  but  I  think  I 
was  run  down  by  all  the  strain  and  suspense.  "We  had 
a  terrible  fortnight' 

Barney  frowned  and  drew  his  hand  away  from  the 
coverlet. 

'So  had  I.  I  was  beastly  sick.  It  is  all  right,  though, 
Phil.  I've  brought  home  enough  money  to  pay  you  back. 
I  got  some  rattling  good  tips.  That  old  Johnny  I  told 
you  of ' 

'  Oh  Barney,  Barney,  it  was  not  the  money !  I  never 
thought  of  the  money,'  cried  Phil,  with  such  a  wail  of 
despair  as  brought  the  boy's  eyes  upon  her  with  startled 
questioning.  The  two  faces  confronted  each  other,  so 
like,  yet  so  unlike,  and  the  boy  flushed  darkly  through 
his  tan. 

'Well,  you  needn't  have  worried  about — that  either. 
I  told  you  I  would  remember.  I  gave  my  promise,  and 
I — kept  it,  Phil.  There  were  lots  of  things  I  wanted 
to  do.  It  was  awfully  dull  not  being  able  to  go  about 
with  the  other  fellows,  but  I  kept  my  word.  And  I 
wanted  to  spend  the  money,  too.  There  was  the  'cutest 
little  monkey  you  ever  saw,  trained  to  do  all  sorts  of 
tricks.  It  was  jolly  hard  lines  not  being  able  to  bring 
it  home  as  a  present  to  you  girls,  but  I  thought  under 
the  circumstances  it  might  be  bad  form.' 

'  Oh  Barney,  Barney ! '  cried  Philippa,  laughing  un- 
controllably even  as  the  tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks.  It 
was  such  balm  in  Gilead  to  know  that  the  promise  had 
been  kept;  it  was  so  ridiculously,  inimitably  like  Barney 


ALL'S   WELL   THAT    KNDS    WELL.  287 

that  he  should  mix  up  monkeys  with  the  story  of  his 
repentance.  'I'm  so  very,  very  thankful  for  everything,' 
she  whispered;  'for  the  things  you  didn't  do,  and — the 
monkey  that  didn't  come.  Kiss  me,  Barney.  I  shall  get 
well  quickly  now  that  you  are  hack.' 

Barney  did  as  he  was  asked,  not  once,  but  many  times 
over,  and  kept  his  big  fingers  clasped  closely  round  hers 
while  he  asked  anxiously : 

'You  won't  want  to  send  me  back  to  an  office,  will 
you,  Phil  1  The  Hermit  has  been  telling  me  about  his 
brother  in  Canada.  That's  the  sort  of  thing  I  should 
like  if  it  could  be  arranged.  It  will  be  beastly  leaving 
home  again.  I  never  knew  it  was  such  a  thundering  nice 
place  until  I  left  this  time.  But  it  is  my  only  chance ; 
I  should  never  do  any  good  in  the  City.  You  will  let 
me  go,  won't  you,  Phil?' 

'Yes,  Barney,'  said  Philippa  sadly.  'It  is  the  hardest 
thing  you  could  ask  me,  but  if  it  is  for  your  good  I 
must  not  think  of  myself.  You  shall  go,  dear,  as  soon 
as  an  opening  is  found;  and  we  will  give  you  as 
complete  an  outfit  as  can  be  bought,  but  after  that  we 
can  do  no  more.  You  will  have  to  stand  by  yourself 
and  fight  your  own  battles.  There  will  be  no  home  open 
if  you  run  away  from  your  work,  and  no  stupid  old  sister 
to  spoil  you  and  give  you  a  fresh  start.' 

The  smile  with  which  Barney  regarded  her  was  at 
once  charming  and  pathetic — so  full  of  warm-hearted 
affection,  so  radiantly  complacent  and  assured. 

'Canada   is   not   far   off;   it  would  be  as  good  as  being 


288  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  EXDS  WELL. 

in  England,  for  it  is  under  the  old  flag,  and  the  people 
are  so  jolly  loyal  and  brave.  I  could  come  back  every 
two  or  three  years,  and  when  I  get  a  home  of  my 
own  you  will  have  to  come  out  and  visit  me.  Don't 
you  worry,  old  girl;  I'll  get  on  like  a  house  on  fire, 
and  I  promise  you  to  keep  out  of  mischief.  There  will 
be  no  chance  of  getting  into  it,  for  one  thing,  away 
out  in  the  wilds.' 

'  Oh  Barney,  Barney,  don't  be  so  sure !  There  will  be 
difficulties  and  temptations  wherever  you  go,  and  you 
must  be  prepared  to  meet  them.  Don't  be  content  to 
promise  me,  dear.  Promise  yourself — the  strong,  good 
man  you  were  meant  to  be.  Promise  God,  Barney,  and 
ask  Him  to  help  you  to  stand  fast.' 

It  was  not  Philippa's  habit  to  preach,  and  the  fact 
gave  additional  weight  to  her  solemn  words.  Barney 
looked  awed  and  impressed,  and  thoroughly  uncom- 
fortable into  the  bargain.  'All  right,  Phil,  I'll  remem- 
ber/ he  said  softly;  but  the  next  moment  he  discovered 
that  she  looked  tired,  and  hurried  away.  Philippa  heard 
him  go  into  his  own  room,  and  presently  the  sound  of 
his  voice  reached  her  ears,  raised  in  happy  strains : 

'  Jack 's  the  boy,  when  girls  are  sad, 
To  kiss  their  tears  away.' 

He  had  been  serious  for  five  minutes  on  end,  and  the 
strain  was  evidently  too  much  for  his  constitution;  but 
Philippa  lay  awake  far  into  the  night,  talking  to  God 
about  her  boy,  asking  His  help  where  she  had  failed.  It 


ALL'S   WBLL   THAT   ENDS    WELL.  289 

was    the    truest    of    all    comforts    to    feel    that   the   far-off 
country  was  still  near  to  Him. 

Fortunately  for  all  concerned,  the  letter  from  the 
Hermit's  brother  proved  in  every  respect  satisfactory,  for 
the  Loftus  family  washed  their  hands  of  Barney,  going 
out  of  their  way  to  refuse  help  before  it  was  asked. 
The  'mannikin'  would,  no  doubt,  have  acted  differently 
had  he  been  permitted,  but  his  wife  told  him  sternly 
that  he  could  not  allow  all  his  friends  to  be  victimised 
by  that  dreadful  boy,  when  he  said,  'Yes,  my  dear — 
yes  !  No,  my  dear — no ! '  and  collapsed,  as  his  custom 
was.  The  Charringtons  were  hardly  disappointed,  for 
they  had  learned  long  ago  that — except  where  Hope  was 
concerned — it  was  useless  to  expect  sympathy  from  Aunt 
Loftus.  Avice's  affection  for  Hope  made  her  a  welcome 
guest,  and  she  was  frequently  asked  to  fill  a  vacant 
place  at  a  dinner-table,  or  presented  with  a  ticket  for 
an  afternoon  concert  which  she  would  not  otherwise  have 
been  able  to  afford.  It  was  at  such  a  concert  that 
Hope's  next  meeting  with  Ralph  Merrilies  took  place, 
and  through  all  her  embarrassment  she  noticed  the  glance 
exchanged  between  him  and  Avice  as  he  seated  himself 
in  the  vacant  stall  by  her  side.  There  was  no  surprise 
in  her  cousin's  languid  eyes,  but  something  very,  very 
like  triumph  at  the  completion  of  a  well-laid  scheme. 
Could  it  be  possible  that  the  seat  had  been  designedly 
reserved  ? 

As    we    all    know,    well-bred    people     never    dream    of 

whispering    or    talking    at    classical    concerts,    and    Hope's 
Groins,  8 


290  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

devotion  to  her  programme  was  so  continual  and  absorb- 
ing that  her  next-door  neighbour  could  study  her  profile 
at  his  ease,  and  wonder  if  there  was  another  girl  in 
the  world  who  had  such  long  eyelashes  and  such  a 
sweet,  winsome  mouth.  The  interval  seemed  a  long  time 
in  coming,  but  it  came  at  last,  and  then  Avice  gave 
Ralph  another  eloquent  glance  and  carried  off  her  mother 
to  speak  to  some  friends  at  the  other  side  of  the  halL 
The  occupants  of  stalls  to  right  and  left  were  also 
moving  about  and  chattering  together,  and  to  the  two 
who  were  left  seated  there  was  a  sense  of  solitude  in  the 
midst  of  a  crowd. 

'Wasn't  it  beautiful?'  asked  Hope,  still  studying  her 
programme. 

'  Very ! '  replied  Ralph ;  but  they  were  not  referring 
to  the  same  subject.  He  rested  his  arm  on  the  back  of 
the  seat  and  said  softly : 

'Never  mind  that  programme  just  now.  Talk  to  me. 
I  haven't  seen  you  for  months.  Mrs  Loftus  told  me 
that  you  refused  her  invitation  to  The  Shanty.  I  had 
been  hoping  to  meet  you  there.1 

'  And  I  was  sorry  not  to  go,  but  we  were  in  trouble 
at  the  time,  and  I  felt  I  ought  to  stay  at  home.  Did 
you  have  a  good  time?' 

'Fairly  so.  It  suffered  from  contrast.  It  was  amusing 
to  meet  Miss  Bennett  in  her  new  r&le.' 

CI  met  her  a  few  weeks  ago  at  the  Carl  ton.' 

'So  she  told  mo.'  There  was  a  meaning  expression 
in  his  voice  which  made  the  blood  rush  into  Hope's 


ALL'S   WELL   THAT   ENDS   WELL.  291 

face.  He  bent  nearer  to  her,  his  eyes  fixed  earnestly  on 
hers.  '  What  made  you  think  that  1  What  made  you 
imagine  for  a  moment  that  she  could  be  engaged  to  me?' 

'I  can't  tell  you,'  replied  Hope,  truthfully  enough. 
She  stared  down  at  the  programme,  and  became  intently 
occupied  in  plaiting  its  cover  between  her  fingers.  '  I 
knew  it  was  some  one  whom  I  had  met  at  The  Shanty, 
and  I  took  for  granted  that  it  was  you.' 

'You  can't  truthfully  tell  me  that  you  thought  I  was 
in  love  with  her  last  year?' 

'N— no.' 

'Did  it  ever  strike  you  that  I  was  in  love  with  some 
one  else  t '  The  elbow  moved  its  position  and  encroached 
on  the  corner  of  her  own  chair.  'Hope,  I  want  you  to 
answer  a  question.  Did  you  refuse  to  let  me  call  upon 
you  in  town  because  you  knew  I  loved  you,  and  thought 
it  was  impossible  to  care  for  me  in  return  1 ' 

The  gray  eyes  were  lifted  at  that  with  an  air  of 
startled  disclaimer. 

'  Oh  no,  no !     Quite  the  contrary ! '  cried  Hope  eagerly. 

The  next  moment  confusion  seized  her  as  she  recognised 
the  inference,  but  the  words  were  spoken  beyond  recall, 
and  Ralph's  glowing  face  showed  that  he  was  not  likely 
to  forget  them. 

'You  darling!  Hope,  do  you  mean  it?  Have  we  been 
misunderstanding  each  other  all  this  time  ? '  He  stretched 
his  hand  towards  hers,  then  hurriedly  drew  it  back  as 
an  old  lady  put  up  her  pince-nez  to  regard  him  from 
afar.  '  Hang  these  people !  What  a  nuisance  they  are ! 


292  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WBLL. 

I'll  tell  you  a  secret,  Hope.  I  fell  in  love  with  you  that 
very  first  evening  while  you  were  singing  your  little  song, 
and  I  've  been  uncommonly  miserable  ever  since.  Well  ? ' 

'Well— what?' 

'  One  expects  some  response  to  a  statement  like  that ! ' 

Hope  gave  a  soft,  contented  laugh. 

'I — liked  you  too,  and  I  have  been  wretched!  What 
made  you  come  here  to-day  ? ' 

'  Truda  told  me  about  your  interview,  and  volunteered 
the  intelligence  that  you  seemed  relieved  to  discover  that 
I  was  not  the  happy  man.  She  spoke  to  Avice  too, 
I  imagine,  for  I  was  asked  to  join  you  this  afternoon 
in  a  very  marked  manner.' 

So  Truda  had  repented  her  jealous  exactions,  and  had 
tried  to  undo  the  mischief  which  they  had  wrought. 
That  was  generous  of  her,  but  Hope  blushed  with  a 
discomfited  air  as  she  said  : 

'  I  thought  I  pretended  so  beautifully !  I  thought  no 
one  could  guess.  There  is  something  else  I  want  to 
explain.  That  evening  last  winter  when  you  wanted  to 
see  me  home — it  was  not  my  fault  that  I  disappeared 
before  you  came  back.  Mrs  Welsby  asked  me  to  take 
charge  of  a  little  girl,  and  sent  me  off  in  a  cab.' 

'  Humph ! '  exclaimed  Mrs  Welsby's  brother  dryly. 
'What  a  comfort  it  would  be  if  people  attended  to 
their  own  business  in  this  world !  And  were  you  sorry, 
Hope  ?  Were  you  disappointed  ? ' 

'  I  cried,'  said  Hope  simply ;  and  once  again  Ralph 
Merrilies  looked  round  at  the  other  occupants  of  the  stalls 


ALL'S    WBLL   THAT   ENDS    WELL.  293 

and  breathed  a  wish  that  they  were  at  any  other  part  of 
the  world  than  just  that  inhabited  by  Hope  and  himself. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  interval  Avice  came  back 
to  her  seat,  and  looking  shyly  around,  found  the  answer 
to  her  question  in  two  flushed,  radiant  faces. 

'  I  'm  so  glad,  Hope ! '  she  whispered,  pressing  her 
cousin's  hand  beneath  the  shelter  of  that  useful  programme. 
'It  is  just  what  I  wanted.  I  helped  you  a  little,  didn't 
It  I  asked  him  on  purpose.' 

'I  shall  love  you  for  it  all  my  life,'  said  Hope  shyly. 

'  So  shall  I,'  said  Ralph ;  '  but — why  didn't  you  do  it 
sooner  t ' 

Two  hours  later  Hope  ascended  the  stairs  leading  to 
the  little  flat,  having  dismissed  an  unwilling  lover  who 
had  been  anxious  to  introduce  himself  to  his  future 
sisters-in-law  and  fix  the  date  of  his  wedding  without 
a  moment's  delay.  She  tried  hard  to  control  her  features 
as  she  entered  the  dining-room,  and  to  look  less  ridicu- 
lously happy,  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  The  girls  gaped 
at  her  in  astonishment  as  she  stood  blushing  and  smiling 
before  them,  and  Madge  cried  severely: 

'What  is  the  matter?  You  look  mightily  pleased  with 
yourself,  my  dear.  What  mischief  have  you  been  up 
to  this  afternoon?' 

'  Please,'  said  Hope  humbly,  '  I  've  been  getting  engaged  1 ' 
and  the  scene  which  followed  approached  delirium  in  its 
excitement. 

'And  to  think  that  I  did  not  even  know  his  name!' 
Philippa  exclaimed  when  a  hundred  questions  had  been 


294  ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL. 

asked  and  answered,  and  Hope  had  been  kissed  and 
hugged  to  her  heart's  content.  'You  were  quiet  about 
it!  How  did  you  manage  to  get  along  without  some  one 
to  comfort  you  all  these  long  months?' 

'  Theo  knew,'  said  Hope ;  and  at  that  a  little  frown 
showed  itself  on  Philippa's  forehead.  It  was  a  blow  to 
her  vanity  to  find  that  another  had  been  chosen  before 
herself,  and  though  she  made  no  comment,  she  was  filled 
with  a  yearning  for  a  closer  sympathy  and  appreciation 
than  she  received  in  the  home  circle. 

'  Sometimes  I  feel  as  if  I  had  come  to  the  end  of  my 
work,'  she  said  wistfully  to  the  Hermit  when  he  came 
upstairs  during  the  evening  to  congratulate  the  bride-elect. 
'When  Barney  goes  abroad  and  Hope  marries  we  shall 
be  a  very  small  family,  and  Theo  is  growing  so  clever 
at  housekeeping.  When  I  was  ill  they  got  on  quite  well 
without  me.  It  seems  as  if  the  time  had  come  when  I 
was  no  longer  needed.  It  makes  me  feel  quite  sad ! ' 

'  You  must  not  feel  that.  Er — er — -fresh  duties  may 
arise,'  stammered  the  Hermit  in  consolation. 

Madge  looked  at  them  across  the  room,  and  dropped 
her  sagacious  chin. 

'At  this  rate,'  she  said  to  herself — 'at  this  precipitate 
rate — they  will  be  finding  out  what  they  want  in  the 
course  of  the  next  three  or  four  years ! ' 


THE    END. 


